SANTA     CRUZ 


o 

uu 


U 


Collection  of 
Edward  G.  Kuster 
Theatre  of  the 
Golden  Bough  , 
Carmel,  1924 


S 

«r 


H 
I 
m 


SANTA     CRUZ 


EVERYCHILD 


The    dream    of 


EVERYCHILD 

A  Play  in  Three  Acts 


By 
GERTRUDE  FULTON  TOOKER 


WITH  ILLUSTRATIONS  BY 

ARCHIE  GUNN 


INDIANAPOLIS 

THE  BOBBS-MERRILL  COMPANY 
PUBLISHERS 


Sniv  Librar      If  Santa  Cruz  1987 


COPYRIGHT  1914 
THE  BOBBS-MERRILL  COMPANY 

ACTING,  MOVING-PICTURE  AND  ALL  OTHER  RIGHTS 
RESERVED  BY  THE  PUBLISHERS 


CHARACTERS 


EVERYCHILD 

IDEALITY,  his  fairy  God- 
mother 

REALITY,  his  great  aunt 

SANTA  CLAUS 

ALICE-IN- WONDERLAND 

MOTHER  GOOSE 

PETER  PAN 

WENDY 

HANSEL 

GRETEL 

THE  WIZARD  OF  Oz 

GLUCK 

TRUTH 

FALSEHOOD 

SCOLDINGS 

NAGGINGS 

NEGLECT 

TEMPER 

SPANKINGS 

WHOLESOME  FOOD 

FRESH  AIR 

CLEAN  CLOTHES 

SMILES 


HELPING  HANDS 
HAPPY  HEARTS 
KIND  WORDS 

PRUNES,  Head  Gardener  of 
the  Forest  of  Grinding 
Growth 

PRISMS,  Head  Gardener  of 
the  Curriculum  Forest 

WEALTH 

FAME 

POWER 

LOVE 

A  POET 

A  COOK 

FLOWER  CHILDREN 

A  MUSICIAN 

A  GOBLIN 

A  DWARF 

A  CROWD  OF  MEN  AND 
WOMEN,  STUDENTS,  FAIR- 
IES, GOBLINS,  IMPS, 
SPRITES,  GIANTS, 
DWARVES,  ELVES,  WITCH- 
ES, FOUR  IMPS,  DUMB 
BELLS,  BODY  -  GARDENER 
AND  GAME-KEEPER 


ACT  I 

The  Castle  of  Imagination 

ACT  II 

The  World 

SCENE  i— The  Housetops 
SCENE  2— The  Garden  of  Grinding  Growth 
SCENE  3— The  Curriculum  Forest 

ACT  III 

The  Castle  of  Imagination  and  the  House 
of  Life 


PROLOGUE 

Before  the  curtain.  The  curtain  repre- 
sents the  exterior  of  the  Castle  of  Imagina- 
tion. The  Castle  is  an  ornate  building  with 
a  hundred  turrets  and  many  balconies.  The 
Castle  shines  in  the  'white  light  of  a  full 
moon.  The  central  entrance  to  the  Castle  is 
through  a  wide  ornamental  arch.  Between 
the  Castle  and  the  front  of  the  stage  is  a 
moat.  When  the  drop  curtain  rises  the 
drawbridge  is  up.  It  swings  slowly  down, 
the  front  door  of  the  Castle  opens  and 
Ideality  crosses  the  bridge  and  stands  at 
the  footlights.  She  is  dressed  in  a  soft  white, 
diaphanous  garment.  Her  waving  hair  is 
silvery  white  and  hangs  to  her  knees.  Her 
face  is  young  and  sweet,  her  complexion 
clear  as  a  rose. 


IDEALITY 

To  EVERYMAN  the  playwright  begs  that  I 

announce  to-day, 
Though  EVERYCHILD  a  problem  is,  this  is 

no  problem  play. 
But  rather,  you  are  asked  to  pass  through 

childhood's  many  scenes, 
Perchance  recalling  by  the  way  some  of 

your  youthful  dreams. 
This  is  the  day  of  every  child,  the  scientists 

contend ; 
We  are  but  learning,  latterly,  how  to  be  his 

friend ; 
We  may  be  sure  his  parents  will  applaud 

his  ways  with  zest; 
The  spinsters  and  the  bachelors  will  declare 

he  is  a  pest; 
We    know   we've   many   critics    to    many 

thoughts  inclined, 

We  ask  of  each;  with  EVERYCHILD  be  pa- 
tient, wise  and  kind ; 
And  whatsoever  faults  in  him  you  will  be 

sure  to  see, 
Remember  these  in  ancient  days  belonged 

to  YOU  and  ME. 


EVERYCHILD 


EVERYCHILD 

ACT  I 

THE  CASTLE 

Christmas  Eve  in  the  Castle  of  Imagina- 
tion. The  room  is  dimly  lighted  by  a  fire 
on  the  hearth  to  the  right,  the  more  remote 
parts  being  veiled  in  darkness.  In  the  half- 
light  Santa  Glaus  is  discovered  asleep  in  a 
large  comfortable  armchair  before  the  fire, 
snoring  audibly.  The  door  to  the  extreme 
left  opens  and  Ideality  crosses  the  stage.  A 
soft  light  seems  to  issue  from  herf  shedding 
a  dim  radiance  on  the  architecture  of  the 
room.  The  room  is  vast,  'with  rafters  like 
those  of  an  old-fashioned  attic.  Enormous 
cobwebs  stretch  from  beam  to  beam.  The 
side  walls  are  covered  with  pictures  of  flow- 
ers, trees,  animals  and  other  objects  dear 
to  the  heart  of  every  child.  At  the  back  of 
the  room  are  a  number  of  old  chests  such  as 
are  often  seen  in  garrets.  Ideality  comes  up 
behind  Santa  Glaus,  and  rests  her  finger-tips 


EVERYCHILD 

lightly  on  his  shoulders.    Santa  sits  up  with 
a  snort  and  looks  aroundf  blinking. 

IDEALITY 
Dear  old  saint! 

SANTA  CLAUS 

Starting  up 

Hello  1  Caught  napping.  On  Christmas 
Eve,  too!  By  jingles!  I  must  be  up  and 
doing! 

He  starts  to  rise,  but  has  a  twinge  of 
rheumatism  and  sinks  back  with  a 
groan. 

IDEALITY 
Sit  down,  dear  Santa.    There's  no  hurry. 

She  pushes  him  gently  back  into  his 
chair. 

SANTA 

Starting  to  rise 

Why,  woman,  this  is  my  busy  night! 
2 


EVERYCHILD 

IDEALITY 
I  know  it  is. 

Aside 
How  shall  I  tell  him? 

To  Santa 

Christmas,  dear  friend,  should  be  a  time  for 
meditation,  not  work.  In  these  days  the 
Christmas  spirit  has  been  entirely  lost  sight 
of  in  the  business  of  packing  up  presents. 

SANTA 

What  a  dear  impractical  soul  you  are, 
Ideality, — and  always  will  be.  Do  you 
mean  to  say  that  it  would  still  be  Christ- 
mas without  me  and  my  pack? 

IDEALITY 

For  your  sake,  Santa  dear,  I  should  like 
to  see  the  experiment  tried.  It's  a  bitter 
night  out.  There  is  a  high  wind.  The 

3 


EVERYCHILD 

snow  is  driven  into  impassable  drifts.  One 
of  your  reindeer  has  a  lame  foot.  And  you, 
poor  man,  have  a  touch  of  your  rheumatism. 
Why  not  stay  right  here  by  this  comfortable 
fire? 

SANTA 

Annoyed 

It  is  out  of  the  question.  You  know  it 
perfectly  well.  There's  Everychild — what 
would  he  think  of  me? 

IDEALITY 

Slowly  and  sadly 
Yes,  it  was  of  him  I  was  thinking. 

SANTA 

Sitting  up  and  turning  around  to  her, 
startled. 

Everychild!    He  is  not — 
4 


EVERYCHILD 

IDEALITY 

Nodding  sadly 
Yes,  it  is  just  as  we  feared. 

SANTA 
You  don't  mean  it! 

IDEALITY 

Wiping  her  eyes 

Yes,  Reality  was  here  this  afternoon.  She 
intends  to  take  him  away  from  the  Castle 
this  evening  at  eight  o'clock. 

SANTA 

Agitated 

Well,  we  simply  will  not  consent  to  it! 
IDEALITY 

What  can  we  do?  I  protested,  of  course, 
but  she  has  her  claim  on  Everychild  as  his 

5 


EVERYCHILD 

blood-relation.     She  is  his  great  aunt,  you 
must  remember. 

SANTA 

Great-grandmother's  aunt!  The  old  vix- 
en! I  suppose  we  are  not  to  inquire  what 
she  intends  to  do  with  him. 

IDEALITY 

Smiling 

Well,  she  did  condescend  to  tell  me  a 
little.  She  said  she  wants  to  give  him  some 
idea  of  the  world,  and  after  the  holidays,  if 
he  likes,  she  may  put  him  to  work  in  the 
Garden  of  Grinding  Growth,  and  possibly 
the  Curriculum  Forest. 

SANTA 

If  he  likes,  indeed!  She'll  take  good  care 
to  make  him  like  it,  in  order  to  wean  him 

away  from  us! 

6 


EVERYCHILD 

IDEALITY 

Yes,  she  has  great  ideas  about  preparing 
him  to  live  in  the  House  of  Life.  Just  as  if 
he  wouldn't  be  better  off  if  he  spent  his  life 
right  here  in  the  Castle  of  Imagination.  As 
if  it  were  necessary  to  push  the  child  into 
their  horrid  House  of  Life  and  fill  him  up 
with  notions,  and  stupid  conventions,  and 
get  him  all  scarred  and  wizened. 

SANTA 

Well,  I  always  did  say  that  the  woman 
ought  to  be  kept  absolutely  out  of  the  Castle. 
I  detest  her,  the  snippy  little  busybody. 

IDEALITY 

Sh-sh — I  think  she  is  in  there  now,  pack- 
ing up  his  grip. 

7 


EVERYCHILD 
SANTA 

Don't  "sh-sh"  me!  I  don't  care  if  she 
hears  me.  What  right  has  she  to  come 
tramping  in  here  as  if  the  place  belonged 
to  her?  She  hasn't  even  decent  manners. 
She  stalks  around  with  her  chin  tilted  up, 
treating  us  all  as  if  we  were  nobodies,  and 
if  she  happens  to  look  at  me  she  looks  on 
through  into  the  distance  and  pretends  not 
to  see  me  at  all. 

IDEALITY 

Oh,  I  am  so  upset!  She  took  Everychild 
aside  this  afternoon  and  talked  him  into  it. 
He  would  never  have  thought  of  such  a 
thing  as  leaving  us  before. 

SANTA 

Do  you  know,  she  once  hinted  to  Every- 
child that  I  didn't  exist.  But  of  course  hav- 

8 


EVERYCHILD 

ing  seen  me  a  hundred  times  with  his  own 
eyes,  he  wouldn't  believe  it.  But  this  is  my 
house,  and  I  won't  stand  her  insults.  I'll 
order  her  out  of  the  place  if  she  comes  med- 
dling around  me  any  more. 

IDEALITY 

Now,  dear  man,  be  calm.  We'll  have  to 
be  careful  on  Everychild's  account.  We 
don't  want  any  scenes  before  him.  I  sym- 
pathize with  you  perfectly.  She  hasn't  any 
use  for  me,  either. 

SANTA 

Petulantly 

She  doesn't  like  you,  that's  true.  But  she 
doesn't  make  a  regular  business  of  persecut- 
ing you,  and  casting  doubts  on  your  very 
existence,  and  undermining  Everychild's 
confidence  in  you.  Besides,  it's  not  so  hard 

9 


EVERYCHILD 

for  you,  anyway.  You  always  have  a  nice 
little  following  of  artists  and  poets,  and 
sweet  mothers  and  young  girls.  But  Every- 
child  is  my  one  loyal  friend.  I  don't  be- 
lieve I  shall  be  able  to  live  at  all  without 
him. 

He  dabs  his  eyes  'with  his  handker- 
chief and  then  blows  his  nose  vio- 
lently to  conceal  his  weakness. 

IDEALITY 

Oh,  I  shall  miss  him  quite  as  much  as  you 
will.  You  forget  that  I  am  his  fairy  god- 
mother— the  only  spirit-relation  he  has  in 
the  Castle.  Reality  declares  that  blood  is 
thicker  than  spirits,  so  she  ought  to  have 
first  claim  on  him.  But  I  fail  to  see  what 
thickness  has  to  do  with  it.  Anyway,  he 
has  been  with  us  so  long  we  certainly  ought 
to  have  some  rights  on  that  score. 

10 


EVERYCHILD 

SANTA 

I  should  think  so,  indeed. 
IDEALITY 

But  Reality  is  so  domineering  there  is  no 
use  arguing  with  her.  I  am  afraid  to  think 
of  the  effect  that  her  influence  will  have  on 
Everychild.  She  has  so  many  harsh,  rough 
ways.  And  dear,  tender  little  Everychild 
is  so  susceptible  to  his  environment.  I  am 
sure  every  one  of  us  in  here  has  helped  to 
keep  him  as  he  should  be.  His  voice  is  like 
the  song  of  a  bird.  He  has  an  angel's  smile. 
His  heart  is  always  overflowing  with  pure 
happiness.  Oh,  I  can't  bear  to  think  of  him 
changed! 

SANTA 

Gloomily 

Changed  indeed!   Yes,  the  House  of  Life 
II 


EVERYCHILD 

will  change  him  completely.  His  beautiful 
golden  hair  will  fade,  his  face  take  on  hard 
lines  of  cunning  and  struggle  and  selfish- 
ness— 

IDEALITY 

Putting  her  hands  over  her  eyes  to 
shut  out  the  vision 

Don't  speak  of  it!  Please!  Well,  there 
is  one  comfort — if  that  is  all  true,  he  can't 
possibly  like  it  out  there,  and  before  long  he 
will  be  back  with  us. 

SANTA 

With  a  snort  of  disdain  and  discour- 
agement 

Back  to  the  Castle?  Why,  you  know  that 
no  one  ever  comes  back  to  the  Castle  of 
Imagination!  They  promise  to,  and  some- 

12 


EVERYCHILD 

times  they  even  get  as  far  as  the  moat,  but 
they  seldom  cross  the  drawbridge,  and  then 
never  to  stay.  Your  poets  may  sing  sere- 
nades under  the  windows  in  the  moonlight, 
and  your  painters  sketch  the  outside  of  the 
Castle — but  what  does  it  all  amount  to? 

IDEALITY 

Everychild  loves  us  all  very  dearly.  I 
am  sure  he  wouldn't  leave  us  for  good.  I'll 
wager  that  he  will  be  with  us  again  in  a 
fortnight. 

SANTA 

I'll  take  you  up  on  that!  What  will  you 
wager? 

IDEALITY 

Laughing 

My  wings  of  the  morning!  Or  my  eve- 
ning star  diadem! 

13 


EVERYCHILD 

SANTA 

Good!  The  wings — maybe  I  can  use 
them  in  my  business.  My  stake  shall  be 
your  pick  of  my  next  year's  pack. 

He  is  Interrupted  by  the  bustling  en- 
trance of  Reality.  She  is  a  trim, 
stern,  hard-looking  little  woman, 
dressed  in  a  simple  tailored  suit 
and  walking  hat.  She  drops  a  suit- 
case down  on  one  of  the  chests  with 
a  bang.  When  she  speaks  her 
voice  is  harsh  and  nasal t  and  con- 
trasts disagreeably  with  that  of 
Ideality ,  which  is  soft  and  musical. 

SANTA 

Starting  at  the  noise  of  the  suit-case, 
and  frowning  at  her. 

Have  a  care  with  the  furniture,  woman! 
This  is  not  a  railroad  station. 


EVERYCHILD 

REALITY 

Turns  her  head  as  if  she  heard  some- 
thing indistinctly,  looks  vaguely  in 
the  direction  of  Santa,  but  either 
does  not  see  him,  or  ignores  him. 

There,  everything  is  packed.  I  had  to 
take  out  one  or  two  things  you  put  in  the 
suit-case,  Ideality,  to  make  room  for  the 
child's  rubbers  and  tooth-brush.  One  was 
a  book  of  fairy  tales,  or  some  such  rubbish. 

IDEALITY 

Oh,  dear!  I  did  want  him  to  have  some- 
thing to  remember  me  by! 

REALITY 

Hasn't  he  a  good  warm,  winter  overcoat? 
I  couldn't  find  one  in  his  closet. 

15 


EVERYCHILD 

IDEALITY 

I  really  don't  know.  You  know  we  give 
very  little  thought  to  clothes  in  here. 

REALITY 

Scornfully 

I  suppose  you  expected  him  to  sit  com- 
fortably on  a  snow-bank  in  his  pajamas  and 
read  "Fairy  Tales." 

IDEALITY 

Flushes  a  little 

That  is  a  very  beautiful  little  book.  I  am 
not  at  all  sure  that  it  is  not  quite  as  im- 
portant to  Everychild  as  his  overcoat. 

REALITY 

Oh,  rubbish,  my  dear !  Bosh!  You  would 
ruin  the  child  if  he  stayed  here  much  long- 
er. 

16 


EVERYCHILD 

IDEALITY 
I  mean  spiritually  important. 

REALITY 

Spiritually!  I  get  so  tired  of  all  this 
spiritual  business.  Spirits,  and  dreams  and 
imaginings  and  poetry.  It's  a  wonder  to 
me  that  he  has  any  backbone  at  all,  raised 
on  such  stuff.  What  he  needs  is  more  work 
and  less  play — more  plain  practical  prose 
and  less  poetry. 

IDEALITY 

With  quiet  conviction 

Nevertheless  the  poetry  he  has  learned 
here  will  do  him  no  harm.  It  will  be  the 
theme  of  his  dreams  and  the  comfort  of  his 
old  age. 

17 


EVERYCHILD 

Santa  Glaus  has  been  listening  to  this 
conversation  'with  Ill-concealed  an- 
ger. He  now  rises  from  his  chair 
and  walks  Indignantly  up  to  Real- 
ity, who  appears  neither  to  see  nor 
hear  him. 


SANTA 

Woman,  if  you  must  take  Everychild  out 
and  show  him  the  ugly  facts  of  life  do  so, 
but  for  heaven's  sake  get  started,  and  don't 
hang  around  preaching  your  devil's  doc- 
trines. 

REALITY 

Answering  Ideality 

It  isn't  his  dreams  or  his  old  age  either 
that  I  am  concerned  with.  When  he  leaves 
this  lonesome  big  barn  of  a  place  he'll  have 
no  time  for  dreams. 

18 


EVERYCHILD 

IDEALITY 

Lonesome?  You  know  very  little  about 
the  Castle  if  you  call  it  lonesome. 

REALITY 

With  a  glance  about  and  a  shudder 

I  know  what  I  can't  help  observing,  and 
that  is  more  than  enough.  I  despise  the 
place  with  its  rafters  and  cobwebs.  Lone- 
some? Of  course  it  is  lonesome!  A  per- 
fect barracks!  It  is  like  poor  little  E  very- 
child's  head — empty  save  for  its  cobwebs 
and  ghosts  and  imaginings.  But  thank 
goodness  it  is  over,  anyhow.  It  shall  be 
my  pleasure  to  give  him  an  opportunity  to 
learn  a  few  good,  substantial  facts  and  to 
forget  a  lot  of  the  rubbish  you  have  been 
teaching  him  here. 

19 


EVERYCHILD 

IDEALITY 

With  a  sign  and  a  gesture  of  despair 

Who  shall  be  the  judge?    What  you  call 
rubbish  and  nonsense — 

SANTA 

Don't  talk  to  her,  Ideality.    Call  one  of 
the  giants  and  have  her  put  out. 

IDEALITY 

Smiles  at  Santa  and  pats  him  on  the 
shoulder.     To  Reality. 

Reality,  tell  me  the  truth — shall  we  see 
our  Everychild  again? 

REALITY 

Oh,  undoubtedly.    We  shall  pass  this  way 
again  in  a  fortnight.    I  had  to  promise  that 
20 


EVERYCHILD 

much  before  Everychild  would  consent  to 
go.  Do  not  deceive  yourself,  however.  He 
is  all  eagerness  for  the  trip,  and  when  I 
have  shown  him  the  world  there  won't  be 
any  doubt  of  his  choice.  Well,  I  must  be 
off.  Tell  Everychild  to  be  ready  for  me 
promptly  at  eight.  Promptness  must  be  one 
of  his  first  lessons.  Good-by. 


Exit  Reality  noisily.  Santa  pokes  up 
the  embers  and  sits  down  deject- 
edly in  his  armchair.  Ideality 
glides  out  quietly,  leaving  Santa 
to  his  meditations.  The  door  left 
opens  slowly  and  Everychild 
comes  tiptoeing  in.  He  is  a  win- 
some boy  of  six,  dressed  in  a  white 
sailor  suit,  knickerbockers,  socks 
and  barefoot  sandals.  His  hair 
falls  in  loose  golden  curls  over  his 
shoulders.  He  slips  up  behind 
Santa,  and  puts  his  hands  over 
Santa's  eyes. 

21 


EVERYCHILD 

EVERYCHILD 

Disguising  his  voice,  gruffly. 
Guess ! 

SANTA 

Alice-in-Wonderland. 

EVERYCHILD 
Nope. 

SANTA 
Jill's  brother  Jack. 

EVERYCHILD 
Wrong. 

SANTA 
Mary's  little  lamb. 

EVERYCHILD 

Dancing  around  in  front  of  him 
Silly  Billy!    It's  me! 

22 


EVERYCHILD 
SANTA 

Everychild!      You     little     rascal,     you 
frightened  me ! 

EVERYCHILD 

And  you  can  never  guess  what  is  going 
to  happen  1 

SANTA 

Sulkily 
Oh,  I  know  all  about  that! 

EVERYCHILD 

That  Aunt  Reality  is  going  to  take  me 
on  a  magnificent  trip? 

SANTA 

Sadly  wiping  a  tear  from  his  eye 

That  you  are  leaving  us — perhaps  for- 
ever. 

23 


EVERYCHILD 

EVERYCHILD 

Climbing  on  Santa's  lap  and  caress- 
ing him 

Why,  Santa  dear,  I  am  coming  back.  I 
am  only  going  to  be  gone  two  weeks.  I 
made  her  promise.  If  you  feel  so  sad  about 
it  I  won't  go  at  all — only  I  did  want  to  see 
things.  Aunty  has  been  telling  me — 

SANTA 

Bless  your  dear,  tender  little  heart.  Never 
mind  me!  I  am  a  foolish  old  fellow.  It's 
all  right,  I  know.  You  wouldn't  be  Every- 
child  without  a  large  bump  of  curiosity. 
You  shall  go,  of  course.  You  will  enjoy  it. 
Only  I  am  afraid — 

EVERYCHILD 

You  needn't  be  afraid.    Not  one  bitl     I 

24 


EVERYCHILD 

want  to  see  things,  and  then  I  want  to  come 
back  here  to  live.  This  is  the  best  and  the 
jolliest  place  in  the  world.  Don't  I  know 

it? 

SANTA 

Envelops    Everychild    in    a    rough 
embrace 

Good!    Of  course  it  is.    Bless  my  heart, 
boy,  you  cheer  me  up ! 

EVERYCHILD 

Clapping  his  hands 

Santa!    Won't  you  come  along  with  us? 
Aunty  said  you  might. 

SANTA 
She  did? 

EVERYCHILD 

Nodding  vigorously 
25 


EVERYCHILD 

I  asked  her  if  some  of  the  Castle  people 
couldn't  go  with  us  for  company.  She  said 
none  of  the  fairies  or  goblins  or  any  of  the 
little  fellows  could,  and  then  I  asked  if  you 
could,  and  she  laughed  and  said  she  guessed 
you  could  if  you  wanted  to.  So  won't  you, 
please? 

SANTA 

She  laughed,  did  she?  Your  aunt  is  a 
great  joker.  You  see,  we  are  not  particular- 
ly good  friends,  she  and  I — in  fact,  we  are 
not  on  speaking  terms  at  all. 

EVERYCHILD 
What  is  the  matter?    Don't  you  like  her? 

SANTA 

Well,  no,  I  can't  say  I  like  her,  but  good- 
ness knows  the  quarrel  is  not  of  my  making. 
I've  been  trying  all  my  life  to  get  on  good 
26 


EVERYCHILD 

terms  with  her,  but  it's  no  use — she  holds 
some  spite  against  me  and  I'm  told  that  she 
has  declared  she  will  be  the  death  of  me. 

EVERYCHILD 

Then  I  hate  her,  and  I  shan't  go  on  her 
old  trip. 

SANTA 

No,  my  dear,  your  godmother  says,  you 
know,  that  we  mustn't  hate  anybody,  and 
you  will  never  be  far  wrong  if  you  follow 
the  teachings  of  Ideality.  She  knows  more 
in  a  minute  than  Reality  could  learn  in  a 
lifetime. 

EVERYCHILD 

Then,  Santa  dear,  if  you  don't  hate  her 
won't  you  come  with  us? 

SANTA 

Laughing 

27 


EVERYCHILD 

Trapped  me,  did  you?  No,  child,  it 
would  never  do.  I  would  never  live 
through  it.  Reality  knows  that  and  that 
was  the  reason  she  said  I  could  come.  You 
see  I  am  a  tremendously  fine  sort  of  a  fellow 
if  you  give  me  your  confidence  and  treat 
me  as  an  equal,  but  I  am  the  most  sensitive 
person  in  the  world.  I  simply  can  not  stand 
an  atmosphere  of  scoffing  and  disbelief.  It 
is  to  me  the  deadliest  of  poisons.  A  journey 
around  the  world  among  skeptical  grown- 
up people,  with  your  Aunt  Reality  as  guide, 
would  certainly  kill  me  in  no  time  at  all. 
No,  child,  since  you  are  going,  my  work 
to-night  will  be  light,  and  I  shall  just  sit  by 
the  fire  here  and  toast  my  rheumatism. 

EVERYCHILD 

Gets    down    from    Santa's    lap    and 
'walks  about  dejectedly 

28 


EVERYCHILD 

I  shall  be  terribly  lonesome.  I  don't 
think  I  like  Aunt  Reality  very  well. 

SANTA 

Lays  his  forefinger  at  the  side  of  his 
nose,  beckons  Everychild  to  him 
and  puts  his  arm  caressingly  about 
him. 

This  world  that  you  are  going  out  to  see 
is  a  cruel  place.  I  am  told  that  they  laugh 
at  fairies  and  goblins.  They  even  laugh  at 
you  if  you  talk  about  them.  So  when  you 
get  out  there  just  don't  mention  us  Castle 
folk  at  all — especially  to  Reality.  Keep 
your  eyes  open,  see  everything,  and  when 
you  get  back  we'll  have  some  grand  times 
talking  everything  over. 

EVERYCHILD 

Oh,  Santa  dear,  I  think  I  won't  go.    I'd 
rather  stay  here  in  the  Castle. 
29 


EVERYCHILD 
SANTA 

Well,  I  certainly  wish  you  would.  But 
it's  too  late  now.  Reality  is  not  the  one  to 
be  balked  at  the  last  minute.  It  is  probably 
best  that  you  should  go.  The  world  is  not 
altogether  wicked,  Ideality  says.  She  says, 
you  know,  that  just  as  there  are  some  people 
and  things  in  the  Castle  here  who  are  bad — 
like  the  pixies — so  there  are  some  people 
and  things  out  in  the  world  that  are  among 
the  best.  She  has  been  teaching  you  some 
of  them,  you  know.  Remember  how  she 
has  been  drilling  you  on  telling  Truth  from 
Falsehood? 

EVERYCHILD 

Yes,  but  they  look  so  exactly  alike  that  I 
don't  believe  I'll  ever  be  able  to  tell  them 
apart. 

30 


EVERYCHILD 
SANTA 

Tut,  tut!  You  must  do  credit  to  Ideali- 
ty's teaching.  Let's  have  them  in,  and  look 
'em  over.  I  must  confess  that  I  never  was 
able  to  see  any  difference  between  them 
myself,  but  there  is  nothing  like  persistence. 

Santa  gives  a  low  whistle,  and  a  pair 
of  twins  appear,  dressed  exactly 
alike  in  every  particular.  They 
dance  about  and  then  halt  before 
Santa  and  Everychild. 

TRUTH  AND  FALSEHOOD 

To  Everychild  we  are  alike, 
Though  different  as  can  be. 
If  you  would  wish  to  note  our  points, 
Examine  carefully. 

FALSEHOOD 

Alone 
You  see  my  hair  is  plastered  on, 

My  eyes  of  glass  are  made. 


EVERYCHILD 

The  stuff  from  which  my  suit  is  cut, 

Is  guaranteed  to  fade. 

There  is  another  difference 

Which  is  the  vital  part — 

While  Truth  is  perfect  through  and  through 

I  haven't  any  heart. 

They  unbutton  their  coats  and  Truth 
displays  a  large  red  heart  over  the 
left  chest.  They  quickly  button  up 
the  coats  again,  and  whirl  about 
until  Every  child  is  confused  as  to 
which  is  which.  He  tries  to  catch 
one  of  them  to  examine  him,  but 
they  evade  him.  Everychild 
laughs  and  begins  to  romp  and 
frolic  with  them. 

SANTA 

Come,  come,  Everychild,  that  will  never 
do.    This  is  not  a  game.    Don't  you  remem- 
ber that  Ideality  told  you  you  must  never 
play  with  Truth  and  Falsehood? 
32 


EVERYCHILD 

Everychlld  stops,  crestfallen.  Truth 
and  Falsehood  continue  to  whirl 
about  and  then 'go  out.  The  cuckoo 
clock  sounds  seven. 

EVERYCHILD 

Seven  o'clock!  And  Aunt  Reality  is  to  be 
here  at  eight  Only  one  more  hour  in  the 
Castle  of  Imagination! 

He  claps  his  hands,  and  at  the  signal 
the  lids  of  all  the  chests,  the  trap- 
doors In  the  roof  and  floor,  and  the 
sliding  panels  In  the  wall,  fly  open 
and  from  everywhere  spring  Fair- 
ies, Goblins,  Sprites,  Witches, 
Ghosts,  Ogres,  Giants,  Dwarfs, 
Elves,  a  troop  of  Shadowy 
Thoughts,  Fancies  and  Vagaries 
(tall  vague  figures),  and  a  number 
of  such  well-known  characters  as 
Allce-ln-Wonderland,  Mother 
Goose,  Wizard  of  Oz,  Peter  Pan, 
Hansel  and  Gretel,  Wendy,  Gluck, 

33 


EVERYCHILD 

etc.  They  tumble  pell-mell  into 
the  room  with  laughter  and  hal- 
loos. 

ALL 

Witches,  Fairies,  Goblins,  we 
Come  cavorting  as  you  see, 
Whirling  every  one  about 
In  a  most  fantastic  rout. 

One  of  the  Goblins  leads  the  quad- 
rille while  the  rest  suit  the  action 
to  the  word. 

All  press  forward, 
Stagger  back, 
Turn  about  and 
Roundly  smack. 
Chasse  left  and 
Chasse  right. 

Don't  attempt  to  be  polite. 
Tumble  partners,  elbow,  shove, 
34 


EVERYCHILD 

Kiss  whichever  one  you  love. 
If  you  hate  them,  pull  their  hair, 
Jerk  them  here  and  push  them  there. 
Wildly  whizzing,  whirling,  wheeling, 
See  the  room  go  round  and  reeling. 
Rollick,  frolic,  scramble,  scatter! 
What  in  Goblin's  name's  the  matter? 

They  break  the  circle  and  stagger 
about  dizzily.  The  motion  ceases. 
A  Giant  picks  up  Everychild  and 
carries  him  around  the  stage,  while 
the  rest  follow  him  up  and  down, 
laughing  and  shouting,  "Every- 
child/  Three  cheers  for  Every- 
chlld!" 

ALL 

Singing 
You'll  look  the  wide  world  over, 

You'll  wander  o'er  dale  and  lea, 

You'll  pace  the  sands  with  a  restless  step, 

And  you'll  toss  on  a  restless  sea. 

35 


EVERYCHILD 

And  then  you  will  sigh  with  deep  regret 
That  you  didn't  stay  here  with  me, 

Spoken  by  each  in  turn  pointing  to 
himself 

That  you  didn't  stay  here  with  me. 
That  you  didn't  stay  here  with  me. 
And  you'll  sigh  a  sigh  from  the  depths  of 

your  heart 
That  you  didn't  stay  here  with  me. 

ALL 
For  what  are  the  phantoms  you  chase  out 

there, 

And  the  will-o'-the-wisps  you  see? 
They  lure  you  on  to  a  hateful  fate 
And  sorrow  alone  decree. 
And  then  you  will  wish  deep  down  in  your 

soul 
That  you  had  stayed  here  with  me. 

Spoken  by  each 

36 


EVERYCHILD 

t 

That  you  had  stayed  here  with  me. 
That  you  had  stayed  here,  with  me. 
Bind  often  the  longing  will  fill  your  soul 
That  you  had  stayed  here  with  me. 

EVERYCHILD 

Slipping  down  to  his  feet 

Well,  I  suppose  it  is  time  for  me  to  begin 
to  say  "good-by." 

Shaking  Alice-in-JVonderlan d  by  the 
hand 

Good-by,  Alice. 

ALICE 

You'll  never  see  any  animals  out  in  the 
world  so  funny  as  the  Jabberwocky. 

EVERYCHILD 
Good-by,  Wizard. 

And  so  on  to  each  in  turn 
37 


EVERYCHILD 

WIZARD 

Nor  any  towns  so  beautiful  as  the  Emer- 
ald City. 

EVERYCHILD 

Good-by,  dear  little  Gluck. 

GLUCK 
Nor  any  rivers  like  the  Golden  River. 

EVERYCHILD 
Good-by,  Peter  Pan. 

PETER  PAN 

Nor  any  little  girls  half  so  sweet  as  Wen- 
dy. 

THOUGHTS,  FANCIES,  VAGARIES 

Nor  any  such  long  sweet  dreamy  thoughts 
as  we  are. 

38 


EVERYCHILD 

WITCHES,  GOBLINS,  SPOOKS 

And  you  won't  have  any  fun  on  Hallow- 
e'en any  more,  without  us. 

HANSEL  AND  GRETEL 

You'd  better  follow  our  example  and 
take  some  bread  crumbs  along  to  scatter  so 
you  can  find  your  way  back. 

EVERYCHILD 

Wipes  his  eyes  with  his  handkerchief 

You  people  make  me  feel  very  sad,  but  I 
shan't  be  gone  long,  you  know,  and  I  shall 
need  no  bread  crumbs  to  find  my  way  back. 
Good-by,  Santa  Claus. 

SANTA 

His  voice  choking 

Good-by,  boy.    I  needn't  remind  you  of 
39 


EVERYCHILD 

what  Christmas  will  be  without  me.  We'll 
not  speak  of  that  though,  for  I  am  confi- 
dently expecting  you  back.  You  will  come 

back,  won't  you? 

Everychild  nods 

Good-by,  then.  Don't  stay  too  long  for  it 
will  be  a  dreary  wait. 

Ideality,  who  has  slipped  into  the 
room  during  the  dance,  comes  up 
to  Everychild  and  puts  an  arm 
about  him.  He  reaches  up  and 
draws  her  down  to  kiss. 

EVERYCHILD 
Dear,  dear  fairy  Godmother. 

IDEALITY 

Oh,  my  dear  child,  how  can  I  let  you  go? 
Embraces  him  fondly 

But  I  must  be  brave.    We  could  not  expect 
40 


EVERYCHILD 

to  keep  you  aloof  from  the  world  forever. 
I  have  tried  to  teach  you  to  love  the  things 
of  the  spirit.  Think  of  me  often,  will  you, 
dear?  I  am  sure  there  will  be  times  of 
doubt  when  the  thought  will  strengthen  you. 
I  wish  I  could  give  you  a  magic  sword  as 
they  do  in  fairy  tales  which  would  protect 
you  from  all  harm,  but  Reality  won't  allow 
me  any  space  in  your  luggage.  Slip  this  in 
your  pocket.  Be  sure  you  read  the  direc- 
tions on  the  lid. 

EVERYCHILD 

Goody !    It's  mottoes  1    Candy  mottoes ! 

Reads 

"People  and  things  are  only  symbols. 
Look  well  with  your  mind's  eye." 

He  appears  puzzled  and  reads  again 
"People  and  things  are  only  symbols. 
Look  well  with  your  mind's  eye." 


EVERYCHILD 

I  don't  understand,  but  I'll  bet  they  are 

good. 

He  eats  one 

IDEALITY 

Oh,  don't  eat  them  now!  You  won't  re- 
member. 

She  slips  them  Into  his  pocket.  A 
dwarf  drags  forward  into  the  room 
a  huge  loving-cup.  He  has  a  very 
pompous  manner.  He  bows  im- 
pressively to  Everychild.  With 
much  fumbling  he  adjusts  a  pair 
of  horn  spectacles^  unrolls  a  large 
parchment  and  reads. 

DWARF 
"We,  the  undertakers — " 

Shouts  of  correction  from  the  crowd 
ALL 

"Undersigned — Undersigned  I" 
42 


sent — " 


EVERYCHILD 

DWARF 
"We,   the  undersigned,    do   nearly   pre- 

ALL 

Shouts 
"Hereby,  hereby!" 

DWARF 

" — do  hereby  present  to  Everychild,  a  lov- 
ing-cup." 

He  looks  up  importantly,  and  In  do- 
ing so  loses  his  glasses  off  his  nose. 
He  pauses  to  readjust  them.  Shouts 
of  impatience  from  the  crowd.  A 
Giant  steps  forward,  picks  up  the 
Dwarf,  shakes  him  and  tosses  him 
aside. 

GIANT 

You  little  bungler.     Let  me  read. 

Reads 

"We,  the  undersigned,  do  hereby  present 
43 


EVERYCHILD 

to  Everychild  a  loving-cup,  bearing  the 
simple  but  expressive  words  of  the  poet, 
'Lest  you  forget.'  Our  dearest  wish  is  to 
remain  forever  in  the  heart  of  Everychild. 
To  make  sure  of  this,  and  also  to  insure 
your  return  to  the  Castle,  we  have  placed 
in  the  loving-cup  a  few  ounces  of  the  Wine 
of  Memory.  When  the  vision  of  us  fades, 
one  drop  of  this  precious  liquid  will  in- 
stantly restore  it.  Go,  and  may  you  always 
keep  the  cup  at  hand. 

"(Signed) — Those  who  live  in  the  Castle 
of  Imagination." 

EVERYCHILD 

Simply 

Dear  friends,  how  can  I  thank  you?    You 
know  very  well  that  I  do  not  need  the  drops. 
I  could  never  forget  you.    The  cup  is  beau- 
tiful.   I  shall  always  keep  it  near  me. 
44 


EVERYCHILD 

While  he  is  speaking  the  cuckoo 
sounds  eight.  Immediately  there 
comes  a  vigorous  knocking  at  the 
door,  and  Reality  enters. 

REALITY 

Peremptorily 

Come,    come,    Everychild,    aren't    you 
ready?    I  told  you  to  be  prompt. 

EVERYCHILD 

Dries  his  eyes,  looks  hesitatingly  at 
Reality  as  If  he  had  half  a  mind 
to  refuse  to  go,  then  takes  her  hand 
rather  reluctantly,  starts  toward 
the  door  with  her,  but  turns  and 
waves  his  hand  to  the  crowd. 

Good-by,  all. 

ALL 

Singing 

Farewell,  farewell  to  Everychild; 
Farewell  to  bubbling  laughter; 

45 


EVERYCHILD 

Farewell  to  joy 

Without  alloy — 

No  pleasant  pranks  hereafter. 

Fare  forth,  fare  forth, 

O  Everychild! 

You  know  not  what  you  do. 

The  world  is  cold 

As  you  grow  old, 

And  dreams  do  not  come  truel 

Reality  and  Everychild  go  out,  Ev- 
erychild 'waving  a  last  farewell  at 
the  door.  The  characters  go  to  the 
windows  to  watch  him  depart. 
They  look  very  forlorn  and  woe- 
begone as  they  turn  back  to  the 
room.  Suddenly  all  cry  out — 

The  loving-cup!     He  forgot  to  take  it! 

They  sink  down  on  the  chests,  etc., 
in  utter  dejection.  Santa  stands 
gazing  into  the  fire.  The  curtain 
falls  to  the  refrain  of  f< Farewell, 
farewell  to  Everychild." 

46 


ACT  II 

SCENE  I — THE  HOUSETOPS 

The  stage  is  a  roof  'with  a  chimney  and  a 
skylight  to  the  left.  To  the  right  is  another 
roof  at  a  little  lower  level,  also  with  chim- 
ney and  skylight.  Other  housetops  appear 
on  the  back  curtain.  Through  the  gentle 
snow  which  is  falling  one  can  see  the  flicker 
of  the  city  lights.  A  familiar  Christmas 
anthem  is  heard  rising  from  below.  It 
ceases.  Suddenly  there  is  a  gust  of  wind 
and  a  great  swirl  of  snow.  It  clears  away 
and  Reality  and  Everychild  appear  to  have 
arrived  with  it. 

EVERYCHILD 

Laughing  and  shaking  off  the  snow 

Gee  whillikens!  This  is  great  fun!  It's 
just  like  falling  through  the  air  in  a  dream, 
only  you  don't  land  in  your  bed  at  the  bot- 
tom. 

47 


EVERYCHILD 

He  sniffs  the  air 
How  fresh  the  air  is! 

REALITY 

Yes — an  improvement  on  that  stuffy  Cas- 
tle, isn't  it? 

EVERYCHILD 

It  certainly  is  great! 

He  runs  about  in  glee,  and  peers  over 
the  edge  of  the  roof. 

What  are  all  those  lights?  Is  this  a  city? 

REALITY 

Yes.  The  cities  and  the  "kingdoms  of  the 
world  and  the  glory  of  them." 

EVERYCHILD 

It  is  pretty,  but  it  looks  awfully  crowded. 
I  think  I  like  the  fields  and  the  streams  and 
mountains  best,  don't  you,  Aunty? 


EVERYCHILD 

REALITY 

No,  I  like  the  cities — the  beautiful  tall 
buildings,  and  the  wonderful  things  that 
man  has  made. 

EVERYCHILD 

What  is  this — a  roof?  Why  have  we 
stopped  here? 

REALITY 

We  are  on  the  roof  of  a  splendid  man- 
sion where  a  very  rich  family  lives. 

Pointing  to  the  lower  roof 

Over  there  is  a  tenement-house  where  doz- 
ens of  very  poor  families  live  crowded  to- 
gether. 

EVERYCHILD 

Eagerly 

I  know!  This  is  Christmas  Eve,  and  we 
49 


EVERYCHILD 

are  going  to  do  errands  for  Santa  Claus.  Can 
I  take  some  presents  down  the  chimney  to 
the  poor  people? 

Looking  about 
But  where  are  the  presents? 

REALITY 

Laughing  indulgently 

You  would  be  a  pretty  sight  with  your 
clothes  all  covered  with  soot!  No,  my  dear, 
presents  do  not  arrive  by  way  of  the  chim- 
ney. I  have  told  you  before  that  there  is  no 
Santa  Claus. 

EVERYCHILD 

I  know  you  have,  Aunty,  but  you  are  mis- 
taken. I  have  seen  him  hundreds  of  times. 
He  lives  in  the  Castle  of  Imagination  with 
my  fairy  godmother. 

50 


EVERYCHILD 

REALITY 

Tut,  tut,  child.  You  have  been  living  a 
life  of  dreams.  There  is  no  Santa  Claus — 
that  is  flat !  Now  don't  let  me  hear  you  talk- 
ing such  foolishness  again. 

EVERYCHILD 
He  told  me  that  you  hated  him. 

REALITY 
What  nonsense  is  this?    Who  told  you? 

EVERYCHILD 

Santa  did.  He  said  that  you  had  resolved 
to  be  the  death  of  him. 

REALITY 

I  don't  know  how  you  ever  came  to  imag- 
ine such  a  remark,  but  it  sounds  like  some  of 


EVERYCHILD 

the  airy-fairy  nonsense  of  your  godmother, 
as  she  calls  herself.  It  is  entirely  unneces- 
sary for  me  to  be  the  death  of  any  of  Ideali- 
ty's phantoms.  I  tell  you  they  do  not  exist. 
Life,  you  will  find,  is  not  so  simple.  If 
there  were  a  Santa  Claus  to  give  people 
what  they  want,  what  would  be  the  differ- 
ence between  being  rich  and  being  poor? 

EVERYCHILD 

Simply 

I  don't  know,  Aunty.  Is  there  any  differ- 
ence? 

REALITY 

With  a  gesture  of  impatience 

All  the  difference  in  the  world.  The  dif- 
ference between  happiness  and  wretched- 
ness— between  having  everything  and  hav- 
ing nothing. 

52 


EVERYCHILD 

EVERYCHILD 

My  fairy  godmother  told  me  that  happi- 
ness does  not  consist  in  having  things,  but 
in  giving  things. 

REALITY 

That  is  just  like  that  silly  impractical 
woman.  Well,  that  is  just  why  I  brought 
you  here — I  want  you  to  see  for  yourself. 
Look  down  this  skylight,  and  you  will  un- 
derstand how  pleasant  it  is  to  have  things. 

The  anthem  swells  again.     Every- 
child  listens. 

EVERYCHILD 
I  can  hear  somebody  singing  for  joy. 

Goes  to  the  skylight  and  stoops  down 
to  look  in 

These  people  are  not  singing,  though  good- 
53 


EVERYCHILD 

ness  knows  they  have  plenty  to  sing  about. 
Oh,  Aunty,  the  most  gorgeous  Christmas 
tree,  and  heaps  and  heaps  of  presents! 
Look!  Look!  A  splendid  bob,  an  automo- 
bile coaster,  a  whole  soldier's  outfit;  and  oh, 
did  you  ever  see  so  many  books?  All  for 
that  little  boy  in  the  corner,  I  suppose.  And 
all  those  dolls  for  that  one  little  girl.  Santa 
has  certainly  been  down  this  chimney. 

REALITY 

Santa  nothing!  They  gave  each  other 
all  the  gifts  you  see.  The  father  has  made 
himself  rich  and  his  family  now  have  every- 
thing they  want.  Isn't  it  fine? 

EVERYCHILD 

I  should  say  so.  How  do  you  get  rich, 
Aunty? 

54 


EVERYCHILD 

REALITY 


Gratified 


There  are  many  ways,  my  child,  but  they 
all  depend  on  your  making  yourself  smart 
and  shrewd.  You  must  first  get  an  educa- 
tion. I'll  show  you  about  that  after  a  bit. 

EVERYCHILD 

I  want  to  see  just  how  to  do  it.  I  want  to 
get  rich.  What  became  of  that  cup  of 
mine?  I  was  going  to  take  it  with  me — the 
Wine  of  Memory — 

REALITY 

Laughing 

Wine  of  Memory!  Whoever  heard  of 
the  Wine  of  Memory?  There's  champagne 
and  claret  and  sparkling  Burgundy — 

55 


EVERYCHILD 

EVERYCHILD 

No.  Wine  of  Memory.  Don't  you  re- 
member there  was  a  tall,  tall,  loving-cup — 

He  stares  off  reminiscently,  then  be- 
gins to  feel  in  his  pockets. 

Why,  here  are  my  candy  mottoes. 

Eats  one 

VOICE  OF  IDEALITY 

These  are  the  Poor.  Look  again,  Every- 
child.  "People  and  things  are  only  sym- 
bols." 

EVERYCHILD 

Symbols?    What  are  symbols? 
REALITY 

Symbols  are  things  that  represent  some- 
thing else.  Why? 

56 


EVERYCHILD 

EVERYCHILD 

Repeats  absently 
"People  and  things  are  only  symbols." 

Goes  again  to  the  skylight 

Why,  the  mother  is  scolding  that  sweet  little 
girl.  I  wonder  what  the  matter  can  be. 
The  father  and  mother  seem  to  be  awfully 
cross,  and  the  children  seem  very  unhappy 
in  spite  of  all  their  presents. 

REALITY 

The  children  are  probably  behaving  bad- 
ly and  have  been  getting  a  scolding. 

EVERYCHILD 

Well,  none  of  them  seems  to  be  having  a 
very  good  time.  I  don't  want  to  look  at 
them  any  longer.  Can't  we  go  on? 

57 


EVERYCHILD 

VOICE  OF  IDEALITY 

Wait,  Everychild.     You  have  not  seen 
what  is  in  the  dark  corners  and  the  closets. 

EVERYCHILD 

Supposing  that  Reality  is  speaking, 
and  not  turning  to  see. 

I  would  have  to  have  a  magic  eye. 

VOICE  OF  IDEALITY 
No,  I  will  show  you. 

EVERYCHILD 

Turning  in  surprise  to  Reality 
How  can  you? 

REALITY 
How  can  I  what? 

58 


EVERYCHILD 

EVERYCHILD 
Show  me. 

REALITY 

Show  you  what? 

EVERYCHILD 

You  said  that  you  would  show  me  what 

was  in  the  corners  and  closets. 

i 

REALITY 
I  said  nothing  of  the  sort. 

VOICE  OF  IDEALITY 

Sprats  and  imps  and  pixies,  hark — 
Come  quickly  from  your  corners  dark! 

EVERYCHILD 

Don't  you  hear,  Aunty?    Why,  it's  the 
voice  of  my  fairy  godmother! 

59 


EVERYCHILD 

REALITY 

Nonsense,   child.     You   hear   the   wind 
moaning  in  the  chimneys. 

During  the  remainder  of  this  part 
Reality  stands  gazing  absently  over 
the  city ,  seeing  nothing  of  the  stage 
happenings.  Out  of  the  chimney, 
left,  hop  Scoldings,  Spankings, 
Neglect,  Temper  and  Naggings. 
They  are  ugly  little  dwarfs  with 
disagreeable  faces.  They  circle 
about  Everychild  to  his  great  dis- 
comfiture, each  shaking  a  threat- 
ening forefinger  at  him  and  an- 
nouncing himself — "I  am  Scold- 
ings^' etc. 

SCOLDINGS 

You  naughty  boy,  what  do  you  mean? 
Such  manners  I  have  never  seen. 
Speak  when  you  are  spoken  to, 
Behave  as  you  are  told  to  do. 
60 


i 


. 


I- 


EVERYCHILD 

Each  as  he  finishes  addressing  Every- 
child  shoves  him  on  to  the  next  in 
turn 

NAGGINGS 

Have  some  respect  for  elder  folks. 
When  I  say  "No,"  don't  tease  and  coax. 
When  you  come  in  do  shut  the  door, 
And  don't  track  mud  in  on  the  floor. 

NEGLECT 

Amuse  yourself  while  I  am  out, 

Take  off  that  ugly  frown  and  pout. 

Go  off  some  place  and  read  a  book, 

And  for  Goodness'  sake  don't  tease  the  cook. 

TEMPER 

Don't  talk  back,  you  little  brat — 
I  simply  will  not  stand  for  that. 
61 


EVERYCHILD 

SPANKINGS 

I'll  give  you  such  a  thrashing  yet, 
You'll  not  be  likely  to  forget. 
There's  no  use  wasting  breath  on  you— 
We'll  see  what  elbow  grease  will  do. 

Spankings  chases  Every  child  about 
the  stage  with  a  paddle.  Every- 
child  takes  refuge  behind  the  skirts 
of  Reality.  The  dwarfs  step  for- 
ward. 

ALL 

We  are  the  foes  of  happiness. 
We  watch  to  see  it  start, 
And  then  with  mean  and  selfish  thoughts 
We  fill  that  person's  heart. 
We  make  him  think  of  nothing  else 
But  just  his  own  desires, 
And  soon  he  quarrels  with  all  about 
And  happiness  retires. 
62 


EVERYCHILD 

The  foes  of  Everychild  are  we, 

On  mischief  we  are  bent, 

We  do  our  best  to  aggravate — 

To  spoil  is  our  intent. 

For  Everychild's  development 

We  do  not  care  at  all, 

We  like  to  rack  his  little  nerves 

And  keep  his  body  small. 

EVERYCHILD 

To  Reality 

Oh,  please  send  them  away!    I  never  saw 
anything  so  hideous! 

REALITY 

Stop  talking  nonsense,  Everychild.  Swal- 
low your  candy  and  I  can  hear  you  better. 

The  imps  file  down  the  chimney, 
left.  Everychild  breathes  a  sigh 
of  relief.  The  Christmas  anthem 
sounds  again  from  below.  Every- 


EVERYCHILD 

child  listens,  and  following  the 
sound,  jumps  down  on  the  roof, 
right,  runs  to  the  skylight  and 
looks  in. 

REALITY 

There  is  nothing  to  see  down  there,  Every- 
child.  Come,  let  us  be  going. 

Every  child  pays  no  attention  to  her, 
but  stands  listening  intently  to  a 
jolly  song,  "Merry,  Merry  Christ- 
mas!" which  comes  up  from  below, 
sung  by  many  voices. 

REALITY 

I'll  warrant  there  are  no  wonderful  bob- 
sleds or  gorgeous  Christmas  trees  down 
there. 

EVERYCHILD 

No,  but  they  seem  to  be  having  an  awfully 
good  time. 


EVERYCHILD 

REALITY 

Well,  I  don't  see  how  they  can  be.  The 
father  is  poor  and  they  have  only  the  bare 
necessities  of  life.  Come  now,  we  must  be 
on  our  way. 

Everychild  starts  to  come  away. 
Reaches  in  his  pocket,  pulls  out 
the  candy  mottoes  and  eats  one. 

VOICE  OF  IDEALITY 

These  are  the  Rich.  Stay  long  enough 
to  see  what  is  in  their  closets. 

EVERYCHILD 

What  did  you  say,  Aunty? 
REALITY 

Impatiently 

Nothing!  I  say  some  of  the  cobwebs  of 
the  Castle  are  still  under  your  cap. 

65 


EVERYCHILD 

EVERYCHILD 

It  was  the  voice  of  my  fairy  godmother 

again. 

THE  VOICE 

Happiness  and  Love  have  both  been  here 

to-night. 

EVERYCHILD 

I  can  see  the  print  of  little  bare  feet  in 

the  snow. 

THE  VOICE 

Stay  and  see  their  helpers. 
Saints  and  cherubs,  angels  all, 
Prithee,  listen  to  my  call. 

Out  from  the  chimney  rise  Whole- 
some Foody  Clean  Clothes,  Fresh 
Air,  Smiles,  Happy  Hearts,  Kind 
Words  and  Helping  Hands.  They 
resemble  Angels  in  appearance. 
Each  announces  himself  to  Every- 
child,  taking  him  by  the  hand  af- 
fectionately. 

66 


EVERYCHILD 

WHOLESOME  FOOD 

With  a  basket  heaped  with  food 

I  bring  you  home-made  bread  to  eat, 

And  cereals  nutritious, 

And  milk  and  eggs  and  vegetables, 

And  apple-sauce  delicious. 

Let  Everychild  be  well  and  strong 

And  know  the  joy  of  living. 

With  rosy  cheeks  and  sturdy  limbs, 

Accept  my  humble  giving. 

FRESH  AIR 

Carrying  as  insignia  a  pair  of  bel- 
lows 

I  bring  ozone  for  your  lungs, 
And  compounds  oxygenic, 
Let  Everychild  grow  up  a  man 
By  methods  hygienic. 


EVERYCHILD 

CLEANLINESS 

Let  Everychild  be  spick  and  span, 
And  scrubbed  and  tubbed  each  day, 
And  brushed  and  combed  and  neatly  clothed 
Before  he  goes  to  play. 

Helping  Hands,  Smiles,  Kind 
Words  and  Happy  Hearts  step 
forward.  They  pat  and  caress 
Everychild  with  exclamations  of 
"Isn't  he  a  darling?"  "The  dear 
little  fellow"  etc. 

HELPING  HANDS 

Examining  Everychild's  hands 

What  pretty  little  hands  you  have,  Every- 
child. You  must  learn  to  make  them  useful, 
like  mine. 

SMILES 

Presenting  a  small  box 

68 


I 


f 


I 


EVERYCHILD 

May  I  present  Everychild  with  a  box  of 
dimples? 

KIND  WORDS 

And  I  have  here  a  memorandum  book 
for  his  use. 

He  holds  it  out  open,  and  Everychild 
reads  over  his  shoulder  aloud. 

EVERYCHILD 

Reading 


come." 


"Please,"    "Thank   you,"    "You're   wel- 

KIND  WORDS 

Turning  the  page 

Here  are  the  "dears"  and  "darlings."  You 
will  find  them  most  winning.    And  this  list 
is  positively  fetching — "I  am  only  too  glad 
to,"  "Delighted,  I  am  sure." 
69 


EVERYCHILD 

HAPPY  HEARTS 

Holding  up  a  phial 

This  phial  contains  a  compound  of  the 
quintessence  of  sunshine  with  a  few  drops  of 
digitalis — an  excellent  prescription  for  en- 
larging and  developing  the  heart.  A  nor- 
mal heart  developed  under  the  proper  con- 
ditions should  be  able  to  hold  everybody  be- 
fore one  dies. 

ALL 

We  are  the  Magi,  bearing  gifts 
To  Everychild  to-day 
In  memory  of  the  Holy  Child 
Who  in  a  manger  lay. 

We  would  have  Everychild  grow  true, 
Grow  tall  and  straight  and  fair, 
A  smile  forever  on  his  lips, 
The  sunlight  in  his  hair. 
70 


EVERYCHILD 

We  would  have  Everychild  grow  strong 
That  he  may  live  to  see 
The  day  when  he  will  find  himself 
The  man  he  wished  to  be. 

We  are  the  Magi,  bearing  gifts 
To  Everychild  to-3ay, 
In  memory  of  the  Holy  Child, 
Who  in  a  manger  lay. 

They  disappear  down  the  chimney 

EVERYCHILD 

Rapturously 
Oh,  weren't  they  lovely! 

REALITY 
Who? 

EVERYCHILD 
The  Angels. 

REALITY 

Angels?    What  perfect  nonsense,  Every- 
child.    You  are  making  yourself  sick  on 


EVERYCHILD 

that  candy.    That  godmother  of  yours  has 
no  gumption! 

She  snatches  away  the  box  of  mottoes 
and  tosses  it  off  the  roof 

Stop  mooning  now,  and  come  along. 

The  snow  falls  thicker  and  thicker. 
The  Christmas  anthem  sounds 
again.  As  the  curtain  falls  the 
forms  of  Every  child  and  Reality 
are  seen  moving  mistily  off  the 
stage. 

CURTAIN 


ACT  II 

SCENE  II 
THE  GARDEN  OF   GRINDING  GROWTH 

In  the  foreground  a  neat  garden  with 
several  conventional  flower  beds.  The 
flowers  are  of  heroic  size.  To  the  right  is  a 
hotbed.  Along  the  back  runs  a  fence,  back 
of  which  wild  flowers  can  be  seen  waving 
in  a  field.  An  arched  gate  to  the  left  bears 
the  inscription,  "Garden  of  Grinding 
Growth."  There  are  trees  back  of  the  fence, 
on  two  of  which  are  nailed  signs — "To  the 
Kitchen  Garden"  and  "To  the  Curriculum 
Forest"  To  the  extreme  right  is  an  en- 
trance to  a  small  garden-house.  Everychild 
appears  skipping  along  back  of  the  fence. 
Reality  follows  in  a  more  dignified  fashion. 

EVERYCHILD 

Looking  at  the  wild  flowers  back  of 
the  fence 

73 


EVERYCHILD 

Oh,  Aunty,  how  lovely  these  flowers  are 
— see,  there  are  all  kinds ! 

REALITY 

Here  we  are,  at  the  Garden  of  Grinding 
Growth.  Wait  till  you  see  the  flowers  in 
here. 

Everychild  stands  on  tiptoe  and 
peers  over  the  fence  into  the  Gar- 
den. Reality  turns  the  handle  of 
the  gate  and  enters,  followed  by 
Everychild.  Every  child  balances 
himself  and  walks  around  the  stone 
coping  that  marks  off  some  of  the 
flower  beds. 

REALITY 

Come  down  off  there,  Everychild,  and 
behave  yourself. 

EVERYCHILD 

Running  from  bed  to  bed  and  in- 
specting everything  with  delight 

74 


EVERYCHILD 

Gee  whillikens,  but  this  is  a  pretty  place! 
Who  lives  here?  What  are  we  going  to  do 
here?  How  long  are  we  going  to  stay?  Do 
you  suppose  they  will  ask  us  to  dinner? 

REALITY 

Don't  ask  so  many  questions,  Everychild, 
and  don't  expect  to  stay  to  dinner  every 
place  you  go. 

Going  over  to  door  of  garden-house, 
right. 

Prunes,  the  head  gardener  lives  here.  We 
will  see  if  he  is  in  and  get  him  to  show  us 
about. 

She  knocks  vigorously  on  the  door. 
Prunes,  the  head  gardener,  ap- 
pears. He  Is  an  old  stoop-shoul- 
dered man  with  a  bulging  fore- 
head. He  wears  three  pairs  of 
glasses,  one  on  the  tip  of  his  nose, 

75 


EVERYCHILD 

one  over  his  eyes  and  one  pushed 
back  on  his  forehead. 

PRUNES 
Well,  well,  what  is  it? 

EVERYCHILD 

Please,  mister,  what  is  this  place? 
REALITY 

To  Everychlld  sharply 
Sh! 

To  Prunes  with  dignity 

Could  we  look  through  the  Garden? 
PRUNES 

Thrusting  up  his  chin  In  order  to 
look  Everychlld  over  through  the 
spectacles  on  his  nose-tip. 

You  are  thinking  of  entering  this  young 
man? 


EVERYCHILD 

REALITY 
Yes,  this  is  Everychild. 

Everychlld  drops  a  curtsy 

I  am  anxious  to  have  him  see  around,  and 
after  the  holidays  perhaps  you  will  take  him 

to  work  here. 

EVERYCHILD 

Oh,  I  don't  want  to  work! 
PRUNES 

Oh,  yes.  I  heard  you  were  coming.  I  also 
heard  that  the  young  man  has  never  known 
any  discipline.  A  hard  one  to  manage,  I'll 

warrant! 

REALITY 

No,  oh,  no,  quite  the  contrary — 
PRUNES 

That's  it!     That's  it!     You  are  Every- 

77 


EVERYCHILD 

child's  mother.    Of  course  you  think  he  is 
perfection. 

REALITY 

Dear,  no !  I  am  his  great  aunt.  I  am  per- 
fectly aware  that  he  has  his  faults. 

PRUNES 

Skeptically 

Well,  we  won't  argue  about  it.  Of  course, 
I  should  like  to  have  Everychild  go  through 
the  Garden.  If  you  want  to  look  about  I'll 
take  you.  Excuse  me  a  moment. 

He  goes  into  the  house 

EVERYCHILD 

He  means  that  we  can  go  through,  doesn't 

he? 

Reality  nods 

Oh,  goody! 

78 


EVERYCHILD 

REALITY 

You  must  listen  attentively  to  what  he  has 
to  say.  Prunes  deserves  great  credit  for 
getting  this  Garden  in  such  good  order.  This 
was  nothing  but  a  wild  field  when  he  took 
hold  of  it.  It  is  very  interesting.  Here  you 
will  grow  smart  so  that  some  day  you  will 
become  a  very  clever  man. 

EVERYCHILD 

Do  you  know,  I  don't  like  to  see  the  flow- 
ers all  tucked  up  in  separate  beds.  They 
look  prettier  out  there  in  the  fields  all  mixed 
together. 

REALITY 

How  absurd,  Everychild.  They  have  to 
be  separated  and  classified,  of  course.  They 
would  never  amount  to  anything  if  they 
were  not  cultivated. 

79 


EVERYCHILD 

Prunes  returns  from  the  house  with 
a  long  blackboard  pointer. 

EVERYCHILD 

Running  to  the  left  bed 

What  are  these  dear  little  things  that  look 
like  wild  flowers?  I  never  knew  they  had 

them  in  gardens. 

PRUNES 

They  were  wild  only  a  short  time  ago, 
but  we  are  taming  them.  That  is  our  Kin- 
dergarten. 

Points  'with  his  stick.  The  petals  of 
the  flowers  open  and  children's 
heads  appear  in  the  centers.  They 
raise  their  arms  which  are  covered 
with  green,  resembling  branches, 
and  wave  them  as  they  sing. 

FLOWER-CHILDREN 

Singing  to  the  familiar  Kindergar- 
80 


EVERYCHILD 

ten  air,  "This  is  mother,  kind  and 
tender'9 

We  are  children  of  the  Garden, 
Learning  things  for  future  years. 
Learning  how  to  use  our  fingers, 
How  to  use  our  eyes  and  ears. 
Graces  sweet  and  manners  pleasant, 
Gentle  ways  and  voices  low. 
That's  how  children  of  the  Garden 
Nowadays  are  taught  to  grow. 

EVERYCHILD 

And  what  are  these  with  such  very  large 
heads  ?    Chrysanthemums  ? 

PRUNES 

Pointing  at  them  'with  his  stick, 
whereupon  they  open,  showing 
faces  of  children. 

Those  are  the   Madame   Montessori — a 
81 


EVERYCHILD 

new  variety.     They  took  the  first  prize  at 
the  flower  show. 

EVERYCHILD 

Going  over  to  the  hotbed 

What  are  these  little  ones  with  the  droop- 
ing heads? 

PRUNES 

Those  are  our  primary  sprouts. 

Addressing  Reality 

You  have  probably  heard  we  have  been  en- 
tirely remodeling  this  end  of  the  Garden. 
We  are  segregating  the  sickly  sprouts  in 
open-air  beds.  You  see  we  keep  them  well 
covered,  but  they  breathe  plenty  of  fresh 
air.  Most  of  them  have  been  kept  under 
cover  too  long.  Until  recently  very  little 
attention  has  been  paid  to  this  end  of  the 
82 


EVERYCHILD 

Garden.    It  has  been  badly  ventilated  and 

has  been  too  crowded. 

Impressively 

We  have  had  only  three  hundred  and  twen- 
ty-seven kilometers  of  air  per  centipede! 
Think  of  it!  Outrageous,  I  call  it! 

REALITY 

Shaking  her  head 
Tut!    Tut! 

PRUNES 

Addressing  Everychild 

There  is  plenty  of  spading  to  be  done 
around  this  English  Ivy.  These  Flags  have 
to  be  watered  every  day  with  patriotic  H  2 
O.  This  little  plant  called  "Thrift"  was 
not  regarded  from  a  scientific  standpoint  in 
your  mother's  day.  In  consequence  we  have 
established  the  "Kitchen  Garden"  on  strict- 
ly scientific  lines. 

83 


EVERYCHILD 

A  young  girl,  dressed  as  a  cook, 
comes  out  of  the  Kitchen  Garden 
singing. 

GIRL 

My  mother  took  a  high  degree 

In  some  great  University. 

She  likewise  won  a  Kappa  key — 

All  honors  you'll  agree. 

She  could  not  cook  an  apple  pie; 

To  make  a  bed  she  would  not  try; 

For  keeping  house  she  had  no  eye — 

'Twas  awfully  hard  on  father. 

CHORUS 

College  girls,  college  girls, 

You  see  them  every  day. 

They  love  their  books,  they  are  not  cooks, 

From  cares  they  flee  away. 

Father  says  with  an  awful  sigh, 

Spoken 

"Is  this  pudding  or  is  it  pie?" 


EVERYCHILD 

College  girls,  college  girls, 
My  mother's  a  college  girl. 

Domestic  science  I  elect, 
Utensils  suitable  collect, 
Ingredients  with  care  select 
And  measurements  correct. 
I  make  a  scientific  cake, 
A  perfect  loaf  of  bread  I  bake, 
A  savory  roast  of  meat  I  make, 
So  I  keep  house  for  father. 

CHORUS 

College  girls,  college  girls, 

You  see  them  every  day. 

They  are  not  cooks.    They  love  their  books. 

From  cares  they  flee  away. 

And  now  you  hear  my  father  cry: 

Spoken 
"My  dear,  a  most  delightful  pie!" 

College  girls!    College  girls! 
I'm  not  a  college  girl. 


EVERYCHILD 
PRUNES 

The  domestic  science  teacher  is  demon- 
strating how  to  beat  an  eggplant  and  how 
to  open  an  oyster-plant.  Would  you  care  to 
see  that? 

REALITY 

Thank  you,  no.    Not  to-day. 
PRUNES 

That  department,  of  course,  is  not  for 

Everychild. 

REALITY 

We  have  all  the  Useless  Arts  to  inspect 

yet. 

PRUNES 

Oh,  then  you  are  going  through  the  Cur- 
riculum Forest? 

REALITY 

Well,  I  don't  think  I  shall  send  Every- 
86 


EVERYCHILD 

child  through  the  regular  course  for  a  de- 
gree. I  think  most  of  what  they  teach  in 
colleges  is  rubbish.  But  some  of  the  work 
is  very  good,  I'm  told.  I  want  the  child 
to  have  every  advantage.  Anyhow,  while 
we're  here  I  thought  we  would  look 

through. 

PRUNES 

Prisms  is  the  head  gardener  of  the  For- 
est. He  and  I  have  always  been  closely  as- 
sociated. 

EVERYCHILD 

Oh,  yes,  I  have  often  heard  of  Prunes  and 

Prisms. 

PRUNES 

When  you  get  there  just  tell  him  that  I 
sent  you.  He  will  be  glad  to  show  you 
about.  But  before  you  leave  here  I  want 
you  to  meet  our  body-gardener.  She  is  also 
the  game-keeper. 


EVERYCHILD 

EVERYCHILD 

Running  to  the  fence 
Game?    Have  you  game  in  here? 

PRUNES 
Yes,  indeed.    Just  the  kind  you  like. 

EVERYCHILD 
What  kind  of  game? 

PRUNES 

Hare  -  and  -  hounds,     Puss-in-the-corner, 
Run-sheep-run,  and  lots  of  others. 

EVERYCHILD 

Clapping  his  hands 

I  love  them  all.    I  am  surely  coming  back 
here. 


J 

ft 


EVERYCHILD 

PRUNES 

Calling 
Belle!  Oh,  Belle! 

A  robust  wholesome-looking  young 
woman  in  a  sunbonnet  appears 

This  is  Belle,  the  body-gardener.  She  un- 
derstands perfectly,  but  she  doesn't  talk. 
She  was  born  dumb.  Belle,  where  are  those 
new  assistants  of  yours?  Do  you  think  you 
could  find  them  and  bring  them  in  to  meet 
Everychild? 

Belle  nods  her  head  with  a  smile  and 
goes  out. 

PRUNES 

Addressing  Reality 

You  can  probably  recall  the  days  when 
Dumb-Belle's  activities  were  confined  to 
a  dusty  indoor  gymnasium.  That's  all 
changed.  The  growth  of  the  open-air-de- 


EVERYCHILD 

velopment  idea  has  made  Belle's  depart- 
ment almost  as  important  as  my  own.  In 
fact,  of  late  they  have  been  ranking  us  the 
same — head-gardener  and  body-gardener. 
I  don't  mind.  I  get  better  results  than  I 
used  to  in  the  old  days  and  Belle  and  I  get 
along  first  rate.  It  might  be  different  if  she 
could  talk.  She  is  really  terribly  ignorant, 
and  she  puts  on  the  most  ridiculous  airs. 
Calls  her  assistants  the  "Body-guard"  and 
drills  them  like  an  army.  Here  they  come 

now. 

Belle  returns  followed  by  her  assist- 
ants— a  medical  inspector  in  frock 
coat  and  wearing  glasses,  a  visiting 
nurse  in  appropriate  costumef  a 
"Boy-scout"  and  a  "Girl-guide" 
each  dressed  in  khaki,  and  a  boy 
dressed  in  gymnasium  suit  and 
sweater  and  carrying  a  baseball 
bat.  Belle  marches  them  proudly 
across  the  stage.  They  line  up, 
and  then  each  steps  forward. 
90 


EVERYCHILD 

MEDICAL  INSPECTOR 
Put  out  your  tongue,  -child. 

Everychild  obeys 

Urn  hum.     Adenoids.     They'll  have  to  be 

attended  to. 

NURSE 

Looking  him  over 

Warm  clothing  and  good  food.  That's 
what  he  needs. 

BOY-SCOUT  AND   GlRL-GUIDE 

Taking    Everychild    between    them 
and  circling  about 

And  lots  of  pleasant  recreation  in  the 
woods  with  us.  How  would  you  like  to  go 
camping? 

EVERYCHILD 

With  delight 
That  would  be  jolly. 


EVERYCHILD 
PLAYGROUND  FRIEND 

Even  in  town  you  can  have  a  good  time 
with  me  in  the  city  parks. 

ALL 

To  protect  the  health  of  children, 

We  are  working  with  a  vim. 

We  love  to  see  them  strong  and  sound 

In  body  and  in  limb. 

Everychild,  awake  or  sleeping, 

Is  a  jewel  in  our  keeping. 

There'll  be  no  cause  for  weeping 

When  we've  done  our  work  for  him. 

Exeunt 

EVERYCHILD 

I  want  to  be  a  boy-scout !    Won't  you  get 
me  one  of  those  suits,  Aunty? 

REALITY 

Possibly,  if  you  behave  yourself.    Come, 
we  must  be  off  for  the  Curriculum  Forest. 
92 


EVERYCHILD 

EVERYCHILD 

Looking  off  to  the  right 

I  don't  believe  I  want  to  go.    It  looks  too 

dark  and  tangled. 

Eats  a  candy  motto 

REALITY 

Well,  I'm  a  little  dubious  about  it  as  a 
preparation  for  the  House  of  Life. 

VOICE  OF  IDEALITY 

The  forest  is  with  beauties  rife, 

It  helps  you  through  the  House  of  Life. 

EVERYCHILD 

Why,  Aunty,  how  you  contradict  your- 
self! 

REALITY 

Mr.  Impudence!    Why  do  you  have  to 
be  munching  something  all  the  time?   Are 

93 


EVERYCHILD 

you  still  sucking  that  candy?    It  makes  you 
silly.    I  thought  I  threw  it  all  away. 

EVERYCHILD 
Now,  I  do  want  to  go  through  the  Forest. 

A  roaring  noise  is  heard 
Oh,  what  is  that? 

PRUNES 

Laughing 

That's  only  the  Flunk  Dragon.  Don't 
let  him  frighten  you.  He  is  pretty  much  of 
a  scare-head,  that  fellow. 

EVERYCHILD 

I  never  saw  a  real  live  Dragon.  Come 
on,  Aunty.  Let's  hurry.  Good-by,  Mr. 

Prunes. 

PRUNES 

Good-by.    I  shall  look  for  the  young  man 
94 


EVERYCHILD 

after  the  holidays.  See  that  he  comes  pre- 
pared to  settle  down  to  business.  No  non- 
sense here,  you  know. 

Everychild  and  Reality  pass  out  to 
right.  Prunes  looks  after  them  a 
moment  and  goes  grumbling  into 
the  house. 

CURTAIN 


ACT  II 

SCENE  III — THE  CURRICULUM  FOREST 

The  curtain  rises  on  a  college  campus.  In 
the  background  are  a  number  of  college 
buildings  of  Gothic  architecture.  In  the 
left  foreground  is  a  stretch  of  greensward, 
shaded  by  stately  elms.  Paths  wind  in  and 
out  from  buildings  to  foreground.  To  the 
right  are  a  number  of  evergreens  symmetri- 
cally clipped  and  trimmed  with  various 
signs  and  symbols.  The  Geometree  is  cov- 
ered with  geometrical  figures;  the  Chemis- 
tree  with  retorts,  test  tubes,  Bunsen  burners, 
bottles  filled  with  colored  liquids  and  other 
chemical  paraphernalia;  the  Trigonome- 
tree,  a  very  tall  tree,  with  numbers  and  log- 
arithms. On  bushes  beneath  the  tree  grow 
leaves  of  books. 

Prisms,  a  gaunt  professor  in  cap  and 
gownf  emerges  from  one  of  the  paths  fol- 
lowed by  Reality  and  Everychild.  Every- 
child  is  all  ears  and  eyes  for  new  sights  and 
sensations. 

96 


EVERYCHILD 

PRISMS 

In  a  precise  manner 

From  this  position  we  shall  now  be  able 
to  survey  the  entire  Curriculum. 

EVERYCHILD 
Dear  me!    What  a  strange  place! 

PRISMS 

Impressively 

It  is  perhaps  the  most  beautifully  logical 
growth  that  the  world  has  yet  seen. 

To  Reality 

Madam,  in  a  few  moments,  when  the  gong 
sounds,  I  shall  be  able  to  show  you  how  the 
branches 

X 

Pointing   to    the   trees — geometrees, 
trlgonometrees,  etc. 

97 


EVERYCHILD 

are  applied  to  the  student  body. 

EVERYCHILD 

Eagerly 

Oh!    Is  somebody  going  to  get  spanked? 
REALITY 

Indignantly 

Of  course  not.     Everychild,  do  be  quiet. 
EVERYCHILD 

Running  to  the  bushes  from  'which  a 
cry  is  heard 

But,  Aunty!     There's  a  poor  boy  here 
caught  in  the  thorns. 

PRISMS 

Going  over  and  extricating  a  youth 
who  gratefully  retires 

That  boy  is  continually  getting  tangled 


EVERYCHILD 

up  in  the  Greek  roots.  That's  because  he 
entered  special  instead  of  coming  up 
through  the  Garden  of  Grinding  Growth. 
If  it  isn't  the  Greek  roots,  it's  one  of  the  cur- 
rent patches. 

REALITY 

Current  patches? 

PRISMS 
Yes. 

Pointing  in  the  direction  of  the 
bushes 

Current  Topics,  Current  Literature,  Cur- 
rent History — the  fruits  of  knowledge. 

A  gong  sounds,  and  directly  many 
students  in  cap  and  gown  come  fil- 
ing out  of  the  buildings,  winding 
about  on  the  paths  among  the  trees 
and  bushes. 

99 


EVERYCHILD 

EVERYCHILD 

Who  are  they,  and  what  are  they  doing? 
PRISMS 

They  are  the  college  students  seeking 
their  way  through  the  Curriculum  Forest. 

EVERYCHILD 

Is  it  very  hard  to  get  through? 
PRISMS 

There  is  no  difficulty  if  you  follow  the 
main  road  and  pay  strict  attention.  The 
ones  who  have  trouble  are  those  who  wander 
off  in  some  of  the  by-paths  and  get  lost. 
Sooner  or  later  the  Flunk  Dragon  gets  them. 

EVERYCHILD 

Mr.  Prunes  told  me  not  to  be  afraid  of 
100 


EVERYCHILD 

the  Flunk  Dragon.    He  said  he  was  a  scare- 
head. 

PRISMS 

Quite  true.  There  is  no  reason  to  be 
afraid  of  him  after  you  learn  to  climb  the 

trees. 

EVERYCHILD 

Do  you  have  to  climb  those  trees? 
PRISMS 

Yes,  indeed.  But  that's  not  hard.  You'd 
soon  learn.  Each  tree  has  several  branches, 
you  see.  After  you  get  up  a  certain  dis- 
tance you  take  a  firm  grip  on  a  branch  and 
pull  yourself  up  higher. 

EVERYCHILD 

Do  you  have  to  climb  them  all?    I  should 
be  afraid  the  Dragon  would  catch  me  while 
I  was  going  from  one  tree  to  another. 
101 


EVERYCHILD 

PRISMS 

Oh,  nol  The  Flunk  Dragon  is  turned 
loose  only  two  or  three  times  a  year.  You 
need  have  no  fear  providing  you  know  your 
Greek  and  Latin  and  all  the  other  things 
you  have  been  taught.  All  you  have  to  do 
is  to  recite  them  to  him  and  he  will  become 
as  tame  as  a  puppy. 

To  Reality  with  pride 

Yes,  this  is  our  Geometree;  behold  its  re- 
markable formations. 

Pointing    to     triangles,    trapezoids, 
parallelograms,  etc. 

This  is  the  Chemistree,  and  yonder  is  the 
Trigonometry,  with  its  higher  branches  as- 
cending  into    Calculus.      Up    in    the    top 
branches  the  A.  B.  Owl  has  its  nest. 
102 


EVERYCHILD 

EVERYCHILD 

What  is  the  A.  B.  Owl? 

PRISMS 

It's  an  abominable  brown  owl.  The  stu- 
dents call  it  A.  B.  for  short.  Every  student 
aims  to  catch  it  at  the  end  of  his  fourth 
year. 

REALITY 

Well,  to  my  mind,  the  whole  rigmarole 
is  folderol.  A  fine  preparation  for  the 
House  of  Life — shinning  up  slippery  trees 
after  an  owl.  Just  what,  will  you  inform 
me,  will  it  do  for  a  child? 

PRISMS 

Putting  on  his  spectacles  and  looking 
at  her  askance 

My  dear  Madam,  I  am  dumfounded  to 
103 


EVERYCHILD 

be  asked  such  a  question.  Wisdom !  Why, 
those  trees  contain  all  the  wisdom  of  the 
ages.  We  are  constantly  grafting  on  new 
sprouts — especially  on  the  higher  branches. 

REALITY 

Pooh!  What  good  is  the  wisdom  of  the 
ages  to  anybody?  They  never  remember 
the  stuff.  What  you  need  here  is  some  prac- 
tical training. 

PRISMS 

Madam,  when  a  student  passes  out  of  the 
Forest  he  has  a  permanent  decoration  that 
all  the  world  respects. 

REALITY 

I  know  people  in  the  House  of  Life  who 
would  not  employ  your  graduates.  By  the 
way,  wasn't  there  some  talk  a  while  ago  of 
a  Crane  flying  over  the  Forest  and  criticiz- 
ing all  he  saw? 

104 


EVERYCHILD 

PRISMS 


Indignantly 


A  great  coarse  bird  with  no  respect  for 
learning  or  the  fine  things  of  life.  He 
nearly  frightened  the  owl  to  death. 

EVERYCHILD 

Pointing  in  the  direction  of  the 
greensward  where  a  number  of 
students  are  lounging  beneath  the 
trees 

What  is  that  over  there? 
PRISMS 
A  part  of  the  campus. 

EVERYCHILD 

I  know  what  I  should  like.    I  should  like 
to  sit  under  that  tree  and  read  a  book. 
105 


EVERYCHILD 

REALITY 

Of  course  you  would,  Mr.  Lazybones. 
This  would  be  a  good  place  for  you.  You 
wouldn't  have  much  time  for  loafing. 

Everychild  eats  a  motto  and  looks 
toward  the  trees 

VOICE  OF  IDEALITY 

Beneath  the  elm  and  poplar  trees, 

You'll  learn  the  things  which  no  one  sees. 

Here  will  be  long  idyllic  days, 

Unspoiled  by  worldly  sordid  ways. 

With  kindly  thoughts  and  books  and  friends 

And  peace,  which  only  Nature  sends. 

A  roaring  noise  is  heard 

EVERYCHILD 

Starting  as  if  from  a  reverie 

Is  that  the  Flunk  Dragon? 
106 


EVERYCHILD 

PRISMS 

Yes,  he  is  on  his  rampage.  Watch  now, 
young  man,  and  you  will  see  what  happens 
to  the  idlers. 

A  number  of  students,  <who  have 
hitherto  been  sitting  about  under 
the  elm  trees,  left,  rise  and  saunter 
leisurely  over  to  right.  As  they 
pass  different  trees  Imps  jump  out 
at  them. 

FIRST  IMP 

In  sepulchral  tones 

Beware  of  the  Past.    Beware  of  the  Present. 

Beware  of  the  Future. 

And  all  therein  contained!    Boo! 

EVERYCHILD 

In  a  fearful  whisper 

Oh,  what  is  that? 

107 


EVERYCHILD 

PRISMS 

Viewing   the   scene   with   solemnity 
and  satisfaction 

That  is   the   History  Imp  scaring  that 
young  ne'er-do-well. 

SECOND  IMP 

Beware  of  the  moon  and  stars, 
Beware  of  light  and  darkness, 
Beware  of  the  depths  of  the  earth!  Boo! 

EVERYCHILD 
Oh,  who  is  that? 

PRISMS 
The  Science  Imp. 

THIRD  IMP 

Beware  of  the  tongues  of  men!     Boo! 
1 08 


EVERYCHILD 

EVERYCHILD 

Oh!    Oh! 

PRISMS 

The  Language  Imp. 

FOURTH  IMP 

Beware  of  straight  lines, 

Beware  of  curved  ones, 

Beware  of  circles  and  squares, 

Beware  of  trapezoids  and  trapeziums.  Boo! 

PRISMS 
That's  the  Mathematics  Imp. 

A  tremendous  Dragon  rears  up  from 
the  grass  at  the  foot  of  the  Trigo- 
nometree,  and  starts  after  the  stu- 
dents. They  try  to  climb  the 
trees.  Several  fall  back  and  are 
caught  by  the  Dragon ,  who  rears 
and  belches  forth  an  avalanche  of 

109 


EVERYCHILD 

white   papers,    which    completely 
covers  the  students. 

EVERYCHILD 

Excitedly 

What  is  it?    What  is  happening? 
PRISMS 

With  a  satisfied  sigh 
Urn,  hum!    They  are  flunked. 

The  students  emerge  directly,  look- 
ing ashamed  and  abashedt  and 
running  off  to  left,  to  a  high  board 
fence,  climb  and  disappear.  A 
sound  of  rollicking  follows,  stu- 
dents emerge  from  the  building, 
giving  a  college  yell. 

PRISMS 
The  Senior  Class. 

1 10 


EVERYCHILD 
SONG  OF  THE  STUDENTS 

There's  an  A.  B.  Owl  in  the  Trigonometree, 

A  very  wise  bird  you  will  say, 

And  his  big  round  eyes  stare  at  you  and  me 

In  a  fascinating  way. 

But  down  at  the  foot  of  that  awful  tree 

Is  a  Dragon  named  Flunk  that's  a  sight  to 

see. 

He  roars  so  loud  that  he  frightens  me, 
But  I'll  catch  that  owl  in  the  tree. 

Another  group  of  students  make  a 
successful  onslaught,  shouting, 
"Sic  semper  Tyrannus!  We  bid 
you  vanish  in  the  name  of  En- 
lightenment'' The  Dragon  rears 
up  and  falls  dead  with  a  horrible 
death  rattle.  There  is  a  fluttering 
in  the  branches  of  the  Trigonome- 
tree. One  of  the  students  catches 
the  owl.  He  brings  it  forward 
and  other  students  group  them- 
selves about  him  singing. 

Ill, 


EVERYCHILD 

SONG  OF  THE  STUDENTS 

Look!  Look!  We  have  captured  the  A.  B. 
Owl. 

See!  See!  We  are  enraptured  with  wis- 
dom's fowl. 

Why?   Why?   Why  did  we  get  it? 

Now  that  we  have  it,  do  we  regret  it? 

O  bird  we  praise! 

Hail!  Hail!  Hail  to  the  symbol  of  grand 
old  college  days! 

TABLEAU 

A  little  Cupid  is  seen  running 
through  the  Forest,  and  up  a  path 
that  seems  to  disappear  in  the  dis- 
tance. 

EVERYCHILD 

Excitedly 
Oh,  who  was  that? 

112 


EVERYCHILD 

REALITY 

Why,  that  was  Love.  '  What  is  he  doing 
here?  I  didn't  know  he  ever  came  through 

here. 

PRISMS 

Oh,  yes,  he  does  once  in  a  while.  We 
don't  encourage  him  though,  for  he  is  an 
awful  nuisance.  He  has  got  lost  several 
times  in  the  Forest. 

EVERYCHILD 

Let  us  hurry.  I  want  to  see  him.  Where 
does  that  path  he  is  on  lead  to? 

REALITY 
It  leads  to  the  House  of  Life. 

EVERYCHILD 

He  looks  more  like  the  Castle  people 
than  any  one  I  have  seen. 


EVERYCHILD 
A  VOICE 

Follow  Love,  follow  Love,  it's  the  only 
way — 

EVERYCHILD 

Fairy  Godmother,  I  am  coming. 

Every  child  runs  like  a  deer;  Reality, 
bidding  Prisms  a  hasty  adieu,  fol- 
lows. 

CURTAIN 


TACT  in 

A  broad  road  in  front  of  the  Castle  of 
Imagination.  To  the  right  front  is  a  large 
stone  house  'with  ample  steps  leading  up  to 
it.  The  Castle  is  at  the  left  back.  It  is  gay 
with  flags  floating  from  its  many  turrets. 
The  windows  and  balconies  are  filled  with 
Castle  folk.  Down  below  are  many  char- 
acters, lined  up  at  the  curb,  elbowing  one 
another  as  children  do  who  await  a  circus 
parade.  A  policeman  comes  up  the  street 
and  pushes  the  crowd  back. 

POLICEMAN 
Everybody  back. 

Ideality  stands  alone  on  a  prominent 
balcony  just  above  the  entrance  to 
the  Castle,  looking  anxiously  up 
the  street. 

IDEALITY 
Oh,  dear!  Will  he  never  come? 

A  nurse  comes  out  on  to  the  balcony. 


EVERYCHILD 

IDEALITY 

Anxiously 
How  does  he  seem? 

NURSE 

He  is  very  weak.     He  has  had  another 
sinking  spell. 

IDEALITY 

Distressed 
This  suspense  is  awful. 

She  turns  and  goes  in,  reappearing 
from  time  to  time  to  peer  up  the 
street. 

DWARF 

To  the  Goblin,  who  is  standing  be- 
low. 

Do  tell  me  what's  up. 
GOBLIN 

Don't  you  know? 

116 


EVERYCHILD 

DWARF 
No.    What  is  it? 

GOBLIN 

The  Procession  of  Life!     It's  going  by 

presently. 

DWARF 

The  Procession  of  Life? 

GOBLIN 
Yes,  haven't  you  ever  seen  it? 

DWARF 
No,  never. 

GOBLIN 

Well,  you  have  a  treat  in  store  for  you. 

It's  rich. 

DWARF 

What  is  it,  anyway? 
117 


EVERYCHILD 

GOBLIN 

They  tell  me  it  gives  one  an  idea  of  the 
goings  on  in  the  House  of  Life — and  I  must 
say,  if  that  is  a  sample  I  prefer  the  Castle 

of  Imagination. 

DWARF 

Is  that  why  the  flags  are  flying  on  the 

Castle? 

GOBLIN 

The  flags  are  for  Everychild.  He  is  ex- 
pected back  to-day.  You  remember  Reali- 
ty said  he  would  pass  this  way  again  in  a 

fortnight. 

DWARF 

So  she  did.  Well,  well,  I  shall  be  glad 
enough  to  see  him,  bless  his  curls! 

GOBLIN 

Yes.    It  hasn't  been  the  same  place  since 
118 


EVERYCHILD 

he  left.    We  have  no  enthusiasm  for  any- 
thing.   He  was  the  life  of  the  Castle. 

ALICE-IN-WONDERLAND 

To  Peter  Pan  who  has  been  standing 
near  listening 

I  can  hardly  wait  to  see  him.    I  love  him 

so  dearly. 

PETER 

You  have  lived  in  the  Castle  much  longer 
than  I,  but  I  am  just  as  much  attached  to 
him  as  the  rest  of  you. 

WIZARD  OF  Oz 

Ever  since  he  met  me  he  has  been  crazy 
about  me,  and  I  will  say,  the  child  is  very 
easy  to  entertain. 

OLD  MOTHER  GOOSE 

How  very  patronizing  some  of  these  up- 
119 


EVERYCHILD 

starts  are !  Just  because  Everychild  laughed 
at  him  for  a  few  hours  a  year  or  two  ago, 
his  head  is  completely  turned.  If  he  knew 
how  Everychild  has  laughed  at  me  since  the 
beginning  of  time  he  would  be  purple  with 
jealousy. 

Dwarf  observes  Ideality  on  balcony, 
looking  concernedly  up  the  street. 

DWARF 

What's  the  matter  with  our  Fairy  God- 
mother? 

GOBLIN 

Don't  you  know? 

DWARF 

No. 

GOBLIN 

She  is  anxious  for  Everychild's  return  on 
account  of  Santa  Claus. 
120 


EVERYCHILD 

DWARF 
Why  is  that? 

GOBLIN 

Of  course  you  know  about  Santa? 

DWARF 
No. 

GOBLIN 

Why,  he  has  had  a  turn  for  the  worse. 

DWARF 
You  don't  say! 

GOBLIN 

Yes,  he  is  becoming  more  transparent 
every  minute.  The  only  hope  for  him  is  in 
the  return  of  Everychild.  If  the  boy  would 
come  back  here  and  stay,  I  am  sure  it  would 
put  new  life  into  him.  Otherwise,  I  am 
afraid  his  end  is  near. 

March  music  is  heard 
121 


EVERYCHILD 

DWARF 

Whist!     I  hear  the  procession.     Come, 
let's  get  up  in  front. 

They  elbow  the  crowd.  Music.  Pro- 
cession appears.  Those  in  the  pro- 
cession pay  no  attention  whatever 
to  the  Castle  characters.  If  they 
look  at  them  at  all  it  is  apparent- 
ly with  unseeing  eyes.  The  pro- 
cession is  a  tremendous  pageant  of 
all  sorts  and  conditions  of  men. 
The  procession  is  headed  by 
Wealth — a  pompous  fellow — who 
resembles  a  drum-major  carrying 
a  stick  with  a  gold  dollar-sign  on 
the  end  of  it,  and  tossing  money 
right  and  left  from  his  pockets. 
Behind  him  follow  over-dressed 
dowagers,  anemic  magnates,  dan- 
dies, beautifully-gowned  young 
women,  who  scramble  about  in  a 
most  undignified  fashion  for  the 
money,  which  rolls  about  in  every 
direction. 

122 


A    pompous    drum-major 


EVERYCHILD 

GOBLIN 

To  Dwarf,  holding  his  hand  to  his 
mouth  to  repress  his  laughter. 

Now,  what  do  you  make  of  that!  That's 
one  of  the  ways  they  amuse  themselves  in 
the  House  of  Life!  Examine  his  features, 

Pointing  to  Wealth 

and  you  will  see  he  looks  for  all  the  world 
like  a  pig. 

DWARF 

Now,  I  do  declare  he  does. 
GOBLIN 

Believe  me,  we  are  well  rid  of  that  stuff 

in  here. 

Pointing  to  the  money 

They  say  it  causes  no  end  of  trouble. 
123 


EVERYCHILD 
HANSEL 


To  Gretel 


If  Father  had  had  some  of  that  he  would 
never  have  left  us  in  the  woods  to  die. 

At  the  end  of  Wealth's  retinue  are  a 
number  of  the  Poor,  who  make 
vain  futile  efforts  to  procure  some 
of  the  gold. 

ONE  MAN 

To  another 

If  we  could  get  plenty  of  this  we  should 
be  happier  than  kings. 

GOBLIN 

To  Dwarf,  snorting. 
As  if  kings  were  happy. 

The  other  Castle  characters  reflect 
the  opinions  of  the  Goblin  and 
Dwarf,  laughing  and  holding 

124 


EVERYCHILD 

their  hands  before  their  mouths. 
Wealth  and  his  following  pass  into 
the  stone  house. 

GOBLIN 

To  Dwarf 

Here  comes  Fame,  a  silly  fellow. 

Fame  bears  a  banner  on  which  is  in- 
scribed— "I  am  the  most  imp  or- 
tant  person  in  the  world!"  The 
crowd  following  try  to  wrest  it 
from  him  with  shouts  of  "I  want 
it.  Give  it  to  me!  It's  mine — " 
etc. 

DWARF 

It's  a  mystery  to  me  what  they  see  in  him. 
He  looks  like  a  conceited  coxcomb. 

GOBLIN 
He's  perfectly  absurd! 

They,  too,  pass  into  the  stone  house. 
Power,  a  military  figure,  wielding 

125 


EVERYCHILD 

a  cudgel,  comes  next,  and  after 
him  his  admirers — kings,  queens 
and  other  potentates  of  the  earth. 

DWARF 

Who  is  the  policeman? 
GOBLIN 

Power.    He  looks  like  a  bulldog,  doesn't 
he? 

DWARF 

For  all  the  world! 

After  the  appearance  of  each  group 
of  the  procession,  there  is  great 
merriment  among  the  Castle  folk. 

IDEALITY 

Appearing  in  the  castle  doorway 
and  looking  pityingly  at  the  pro- 
cession. 

126 


EVERYCHILD 

Poor  blind  things !  They  know  not  what 
they  do!  Oh,  Everychild!  Are  you  never 
coming! 

Power  and  his  followers  also  pass 
into  the  stone  house.  Love,  a  cu~ 
pld  with  bow  and  quiver  and  sil- 
ver wings,  toddles  to  the  front. 
Following  him  are  a  poet,  a  mu- 
sician, a  few  women  and  dogs. 
They  are  the  first  to  recognize  the 
Castle  folk.  As  they  nod  genially, 
the  Castle  folk  respond  with 
"Come  in"  "Stop  a  moment" 
Love  shakes  his  head  sadly  and 
goes  up  the  steps  of  the  House  of 
Life. 

DWARF 

Why,  he  looks  as  if  he  belonged  in  here! 

GOBLIN 
So  he  does ! 

IDEALITY 

Alas !  He  does ! 

127 


EVERYCHILD 
POET 

Nodding  genially  to  all  about,  pen- 
cil poised  in  air. 

My  little  god!  There's  a  song  of  joy  in 
my  heart  I  wish  to  dedicate  to  you.  It  be- 
gins: 

"Love,  love,  that  word  of  rapture, 

Love,  love,  oh,  could  I  capture" — 
Now,  what  could  I  capture?   I  can't  think 
of  anything  to  capture —   And  there's  not 
another   rhyme  for   rapture  in   the  whole 
rhyming  dictionary. 

MUSICIAN 

Taking  poet's  arm 

Come,  we  must  follow  our  little  god 
wherever  he  goes. 

They,  too,  enter  the  house.    Every- 
child  with  a  dreamy  look  in  his 

128 


EVERYCHILD 

eyes  runs  on  the  stage.  He  is 
dressed  as  before  except  that  his 
hair  is  cut  short  and  he  wears  long 
sailor  trousers. 

EVERYCHILD 

Love,  Love;  I  have  seen  Love.  Where  is 

he? 

CASTLE  CHARACTERS 

Everychild! 

Murmurs  of  enthusiasm 

GOBLIN 
Hey,  lad! 

DWARF 

Old  scout,  come  in. 

IDEALITY 

Starting  across  the  drawbridge  but 
arrested  by  the  look  on  his  face 

Bless  his  heart — 

129 


EVERYCHILD 

EVERYCHILD 

I  say,  did  a  tiny  person  pass  this  way?  A 
pretty  little  fellow  with  wings? 

IDEALITY 

Yes,  but  Everychild,  don't  you  see  where 

you  are? 

EVERYCHILD 

To  be  sure.    It's  the  Castle  of  Imagina- 
tion. 

IDEALITY 

'With  a  look  of  fear  on  her  face 
But  aren't  you  coming  in? 
EVERYCHILD 

Oh,  I  can't  stop!    I  must  hasten  after 
Love.    He  is  the  most  beautiful  creature. 
No  one  in  the  whole  world  is  like  him. 
Which  way  did  he  pass? 
130 


EVERYCHILD 

IDEALITY 

But  don't  you  remember,  Everychild, 
you  wanted  to  come  back  to  us?  Santa 
Claus  is  pining  away.  He  has  been  living 
in  the  hope  of  seeing  you.  You  must 

come  in. 

EVERYCHILD 

Santa  Claus,  you  say?  Tell  him  I  am 
sorry,  but  I  really  must  not  stop.  You  see, 
I  might  not  find  Love. 

IDEALITY 

But  you  must  come  in  if  only  for  a  sec- 
ond. It  will  do  him  so  much  good. 

EVERYCHILD 
Well,  just  for  a  minute. 

He  crosses  the  bridge  and  goes  into 
the  Castle  with  Ideality 


EVERYCHILD 

DWARF 


Dejectedly 


And  this  is  what  we  have  been  looking 
forward  to! 

GOBLIN 

He  never  even  spoke  to  me.  Did  you  no- 
tice the  difference? 

Points  to  head  and  trousers  leg 

DWARF 

Yes,  he's  nothing  like  so  cunning  as  he 

was. 

GOBLIN 

Probably  he  has  been  in  the  Garden  and 
the  Forest.  That  always  changes  them. 

DWARF 

If  he  had  only  taken  the  Wine  of  Mem- 
ory! 

132 


EVERYCHILD 

GOBLIN 

That's  so.  Why,  the  cup  is  still  in  the 
Castle.  It's  not  too  late — 

They  both  disappear  into  the  Castle 
as  Every  child  and  Ideality  come 
out 

EVERYCHILD 

Lightly 

Dear  Santa!  Well,  I  hope  he  will  get  bet- 
ter. He  looks  so  different  to  me.  Do  you 
know  I  never  noticed  before  that  his  beard 
is  false  and  he  wears  a  wig! 

IDEALITY 

You'll  think  of  me  sometimes,  won't  you, 

dear? 

EVERYCHILD 

Without  concern 
Oh,  yes!  Often! 

The  Dwarf  and  Goblin  reappear, 
dragging  the  loving-cup. 

133 


EVERYCHILD 

BOTH 

Here  is  the  cup,  Everychild.  You  forgot 
to  take  it,  you  know. 

EVERYCHILD 
Did  I?  It's  very  pretty. 
DWARF 

Solicitously 

Won't  you  take  a  sip?   It's  very  refresh- 
ing. 

They  all  watch  Everychild  breath- 
lessly while  he  approaches  the 
cup. 

EVERYCHILD 

Looking  in 
Why,  there's  nothing  there ! 

All  running  to  see 

ALL 

The  Wine  of  Memory  has   all   evapo- 
rated I 

134 


EVERYCHILD 

The  gaiety  of  the  crowd  has  all  gone, 
disappointment  and  dejection  are 
pictured  on  every  face.  Ideality 
turns  away  as  if  she  could  not  bear 
the  sight. 


EVERYCHILD 
I  must  be  going. 


To  Ideality 


You  know,  I  am  going  to  live  in  the 
House  of  Life.  They  say  you  can  see  the 
Castle  from  the  up-stairs  window.  Can't 
you  come  with  me,  Fairy  Godmother?  It's 
just  across  the  way. 

IDEALITY 

No,  my  child,  not  now.  Some  day  that 
great  stone  house  will  be  razed  to  the 
ground  and  trees  will  rise  in  its  place. 
Laughing  brooks  will  flow  and  Nature's 
gardens  will  flourish.  They  will  all  see, 
135 


EVERYCHILD 

those  blind  folk  in  there,  that  the  world  is 
beautiful  as  God  made  it.  Then  we  will 
play  together,  you  and  I  and  the  others,  un- 
der the  trees  in  the  glad  sunshine  as  little 
children.  For  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  will 
be  on  Earth. 

EVERYCHILD 

Please  come,  Fairy  Godmother. 
IDEALITY 

Shakes  her  head  sadly 

No,  child.  But  I  have  a  friend  in  the 
Castle.  Her  name  is  Hope.  She  will  meet 
you  at  the  door  and  be  at  your  side  always. 
Often  she  will  remind  you  of  me.  Some- 
times she  will  take  you  to  one  of  the  upper 
windows  where  you  will  be  able  to  see  the 
light  in  my  tower.  I  shall  keep  it  burning 
for  you. 

136 


EVERYCHILD 

EVERYCHILD 

Then  I  shall  look  out  very  often. 
IDEALITY 

Patting  his  head  and  looking  wist- 
fully at  him 

Ah,  my  dear,  not  so  often  as  I  should  like. 

Reality  comes  bustling  up  the  streett 
looking  to  right  and  left. 

REALITY 

Not  seeing  Everychild  at  once 
Everychild,  oh,  Everychild! 
EVERYCHILD 

Oh,  there  is  Aunt  Reality!  Good-by. 

Kisses  Ideality 

REALITY 

Addressing  Dwarf 
137 


EVERYCHILD 

Has  Everychild  been  up  the  street? 

Dwarf  looks  contemptuously  at  Re- 
ality without  answering  and  turns 
away.  Everychild  runs  up  to  her. 

Oh !  there  you  are,  dear.  I  was  afraid  I  had 
lost  you. 

EVERYCHILD 

Oh,  Love  is  the  cunningest  little  fellow 
with  beautiful  silver  wings ! 

REALITY 
Yes.  He  lives  in  the  House  of  Life. 

Reality  looks  contemptuously  toward 
the  Castle  and  takes  Everychild 
triumphantly  by  the  hand,  leading 
him  up  to  the  steps  of  the  stone 
house. 

And  here  we  are. 

138 


EVERYCHILD 

EVERYCHILD 


Eagerly 


Is  this  the  House  of  Life?  Did  you  say 
it  has  ten  thousand  rooms? 

REALITY 
More  than  that. 

EVERYCHILD 

Oh,  how  wonderful  and  how  joyful ! 
IDEALITY 

Who  has  been  standing  in  the  door- 
way looking  wistfully  after  Every- 
child,  to  Goblin  and  Dwarf. 

I  would  give  more  than  my  evening  star 
diadem  if  this  had  not  happened.  It  will 
be  a  death-blow  to  Santa. 

DWARF  AND  GOBLIN 

You  don't  say.  What  happened? 
139 


EVERYCHILD 

IDEALITY 

Everychild  was  so  heartless.  Poor  Santa 
is  pitifully  transparent,  of  course,  but 
Everychild  told  him  he  could  see  right 
through  him.  It  broke  him  all  up. 

Ideality  wipes  her  eyes 
Oh,  he  is  so  changed! 

Reality  leads  Everychild  up  the 
steps  of  the  stone  house.  She 
passes  In  but  Everychild  pauses  a 
moment. 

EVERYCHILD 

Gee  whillikens!  I  am  hungry  again  and 
this  is  my  last  motto. 

"People  and  Things  are  only  symbols. 

Look  well  with  your  mind's  eye." 
There   is   certainly   something   about   this 
candy  that  makes  one  see  more  plainly. 
140 


EVERYCHILD 

Every  child  turns  to  look  back  at  the 
Castle.  Suddenly  it  becomes  a 
blaze  of  light. .  Faces  appear  at 
every  window.  Some  one  helps 
Santa  Glaus  out  on  to  a  balcony 
and  he  is  seen  feebly  waving  his 
hand.  Everychild  holds  out  his 
arms  in  a  long  gesture  of  yearning. 
Voices  of  the  Castle  are  heard 
singing. 

VOICES 

Farewell,  farewell  to  Everychild, 
Farewell  to  bubbling  laughter, 
Farewell  to  joy  without  alloy. 
No  pleasant  pranks  hereafter. 

Fare  forth,  fare  forth,  O  Everychild. 
You  know  not  what  you  do. 
The  world  is  cold  as  you  grow  old, 
And  dreams  do  not  come  true. 

Misty  curtains  fall  and  the  Castle 
fades  away  all  but  the  doorway  in 
which  Ideality  stands.  This  re- 

141 


EVERYCHILD 

mains  a  blaze  of  light  for  a  long 
time.  Ideality  holds  her  arms 
outstretched  toward  Everychild. 
Gradually  her  vision,  too,  fades 
and  Everychild  enters  the  House 
of  Life  'with  slow  steps. 

CURTAIN 


TORED  AT  NiSLF 


THE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  SANTA  CRUZ 


This  book  is  due  on  the  last  DATE  stamped  below. 

To  renew  by  phone,  call  429-2756 

Books  not  returned  or  renewed  within  14  days 

after  due  date  are  subject  to  billing. 


Series  2373 


eke     b 
TTOO  net 


